


To Tame the Wild

by Scribblez09



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-04-07 01:05:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 41
Words: 213,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19074349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scribblez09/pseuds/Scribblez09
Summary: Jack has been apprehended by the law, only to be taken to Bonnie's ranch as a slave in recompense for his crimes. As he works away his debt and learns to become an honorable man under the supervision of a mysterious lady bounty hunter, an unlikely friendship blossoms. Sequel to Dead Man's Gun.





	1. Estancia

Jack awoke groggily to the sounds of a rooster crowing and horses trumpeting. Dazed, his head pounding from the blow he’d received two nights before, he moaned and ran his hands over his face. In a flash, he recalled the events that brought him here to this sad, dreadful end in his jail cell at MacFarlane’s ranch. His rampage left him with the spirit-crushing figures: he’d killed fifteen people…Edgar Ross was the first, and although that man’s death was justified, the other fourteen victims weren’t. He rested the crook of his arm over his face and gave a despairing sigh, his hand-cuffs jingling.

“Rise and shine, princess.”

He jumped at the feminine voice and sat up in his cell bed. He was confused and a bit disturbed to find the woman who had been haunting his dreams the night before, the woman who single-handedly threw him in his cell, to be sitting before him so calmly. Despite his fright, he sat staring at her. Her long dark hair fell down her shoulders, covering her chest as she leaned forward in her chair with her elbows resting on her knees. She wore the same attire he saw her in from yesterday: dark brown pants and boots, black vest and duster, and a tan shirt. She took her black Stetson hat off her head and ran a hand through her long, lustrous hair. She returned her hat back on her head and looked at Jack through her long eyelashes. Her hat hid her face from him save for her lips that twitched into a bemused smirk.

“So… you’re the infamous Jack Marston, son of John and Abigail Marston.”

Jack looked her up and down, returning the sardonic countenance. “Yeah. What’s it to ya, lady?”

She gave him an unimpressed frown. “Huh. You don’t look like much up close. I was expecting as much when I first saw your worthless hide in that jail cell in Armadillo yesterday.” She picked up a file folder from the floor beside her chair and sat it on her lap. “And after reading your file from Blackwater, I’m even more positive of my opinion of you.”

His eyes snagged on the folder; he swallowed thickly. “You read my file?” He scoffed. “What the hell for?”

Picking up the folder from her lap, she stood up and paced the length of the cell slowly, thoughtfully, in front of him. “A wise man once said “Know thy enemy”. Well, that’s what I’m doing, Mister Marston. You see, with every scum I’ve got after, with every bounty I’ve brought in, I’ve read their file beforehand. Knowledge is a beautiful, useful thing, Jack, especially in the case of dealing with outlaws like you. I could’ve _easily_ brought you in myself and gotten the thousand dollars with no harm done and no fussin’ about, if it weren’t for Bonnie intervening when she saw me pluck your wanted poster off the side of this building. See, she’s gotten it in her head that you deserve a second chance at life and all that bullshit. But me? I don’t share that sentiment.”

Before he could blink, she stopped in front of him, drew her pistol, and pressed the barrel against his forehead. Jack stiffened. His eyes widened a fraction as he stared up at her above the silver barrel of her firearm.

“You see, with _your_ special case, I have half a mind to blow your brains out all over the back wall of this cell right now.” Her index caressed the trigger. “But I won’t. Bonnie is the boss ‘round here, and I respect her wishes, however foolish they may sometimes be.” As swiftly as she drew, she holstered her pistol before hefting the file folder in both hands and opening it. Her eyes scanned the pages within.

Jack shook his head. “Who _are_ you, lady?”

She gave him an admonishing glare. “That’s no concern of yours, Mister Marston. I like to keep an ambiguous relationship with the men I hunt down and bring in. Hell, I’m even comfortable if you didn’t even ask me a damn thing.”

“Well, that’s bullshit if I ever heard it. So, is this is an interrogation?” He motioned to the file she held. “I don’t think that’s necessary, seeing as you have my history and all in the palm of your hands.”

She ignored his interjections as she resumed pacing. “Let’s see,” she murmured as she traced her right index finger down the paper. “Horton, Andrew, and Frank Gossler, a father and two sons you’ve mercilessly shot down…John Cosak, Bill Enderson, Franklin Wesley, Robert Ericson, Bob Kessler, Adam Gregson, and Phillip Masters…all seven of Blackwater’s finest upcoming lawmen, now all dead thanks to your reckless gunmanship…and from two nights ago, your lists grows with four more victims, Horace Grace, Eli Mistlemer, and Dick Grainger, three of Armadillo’s finest sheriffs now gone, all shot in the head without a second thought. And lastly, the respectable Emily Potters, the only daughter of the Potters family and whom you’ve killed in a split second.”

As she read off the list, she accentuated each name on purpose, making Jack squirm and fidget in his seat. He stared down at his handcuffed hands. The second she finished with the list, the woman closed the folder with a harsh slap and, looking up at him, demanded, “Tell me, Jack, do you enjoy killing men, specifically lawmen and the occasional innocent woman?”

He scoffed. “Well, since I’m under the full force of your interrogation, and since you’re so eager to listen to an answer you already know is coming, I suppose I do. But it’s not like them lawmen and government agents were any better than me. They see someone like me, a man--”

“A villainous coward.”

“--who’s been wronged many times over, and they decide to go after him, shooting without question. I’ve been pursued, lady, make no mistake about that, but I wasn’t the one opening fire and raising hell on my horse.”

“So you think your reasoning to kill them was justified?”

Jack threw up his hands up in outrage. “ _It was self-defense, lady!_ What else was I supposed to do?”

“You could have stopped and given yourself up to them.”

“Like they would’ve given me the chance! They opened fire on me in the middle of nowhere, around Hennigan’s Stead as I was ridin’ along minding my own goddamned business!”

“So what about the marshal and two sheriffs that rode up to your house before that?” she demanded sharply. “What about Horton, Andrew, and Frank Gossler? How do you explain your reasoning then? “Self-defense”?”

“I…” He fell silent, bereft of a logical answer.

“Admit it, Marston. You shot them all in cold blood.”

“I DID NOT!” he yelled as he stood up. He was taller than her by a foot, but she held her ground and accepted the stare-down he initiated. “They had no business ridin’ onto my property like that unannounced! They scared me is all…”

She shoved her face into his, her nose a hands breadth away from his. “So, you’re saying you were frightened of these three when all they were doing was investigating the disappearance of Edgar Ross?” Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as they searched his. “What were you so afraid of that made you gun down those men without a second thought?”

His cold-hearted mask kept him from revealing his deepest secret. _Oh God_ , he thought. _Does she know? Does anyone know?_

“And what about the two sheriffs you assaulted, Jonah and Eli? You shot Jonah, amazingly not killing him for being such a “sharp shooter” you claim to be, and you shot Eli’s hand before pistol-whipping him when he tried to apprehend you. What about those two? According to them, it was _you_ who rode up to them and initiated the shooting and¾”

“Those two dumb bastards had it coming,” Jack interjected. “It’s not like they were doin’ their jobs anyways.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “ _That’s_ your reasoning? They were stupid, so you attacked them? So, you kill people based on the assumption of one, whether or not they’re lawmen, and two, whether or not they’re intelligent enough?” She shook her head. “You really are a dumb-shit, Mister Marston.”

When his silence left her statement dissipating in the thin space between them, the woman turned and sat back down on her chair. She dropped the file folder on the floor beside her, took off her hat, and ran a hand through her hair in agitation. “You’re a tough one to read, Jack. I don’t think I’ve ever met a man as stupid as you.” She bowed her head as she put her hat back on.

Jack chortled as he sat back down on his bed. “And I’ve never met a woman as manly as you.” He couldn’t help but look her over once again. Despite his gargantuan dislike of her, she was quite nice to look at when she wasn’t threatening him at gunpoint.

Suddenly, she jumped back on her feet, drew her pistol, and once again held it to his forehead. Unimpressed, Jack cocked an eyebrow and frowned.

“Did you have anything to do with the disappearance of Edgar Ross?” she hissed down at him.

He kept his mouth shut and stared at her with the same annoyed countenance.

“ANSWER ME! Did you kill him?!”

“No,” he lied brilliantly, his voice soft and low. “No, I did not.”

With a frustrated growl, she holstered her gun and paced the cell once more, her gait slightly faster. Her lips were pursed tightly, her hair flowing behind her as she kept her eyes to the floor. Her spurs jingled loudly in the enveloping silence.

Jack chuckled as he watched her. “So, are you some sort of bounty hunter or lawwoman, then? I didn’t know they let little girls do that sort of shit.”

The next thing he realized, he was laying sideways across his bed, his jaw throbbing. He lay there for a solid second, finding it difficult to grasp the idea she’d just punched him, and very hard, too.

“I’m not some ‘little girl’, Mister Marston, and I’d appreciate it if you never spoke to me like that again. I am _not_ opposed to shooting you, so keep that in mind.”

He sat up caressing his jaw and glowering up at her. “Go ahead, lady. Shoot me. It’s not like I’ve got much else left to live for, ‘cept rot away in this jail and work my ass off like a slave at this ranch.” He spread his arms out in open invitation of ending his suffering.

Surprise crossed her beautiful face for the first time. She cocked her head slightly to the side. “Hmm…You’re not afraid of death, I see. Most men cower and give up anything at the threat of death. But you…you’re somethin’ different.” She straightened her head and questioned softly, “What _do_ you fear, Marston? The promise of a life with purpose and responsibility?”

He blinked. “What are you gettin’ at here, lady?”

She picked up the file folder once more and leaned back in her chair. “I want to know your motives…or lack thereof.” She began thumbing through it.

Jack threw back his head and laughed dryly. “‘Motives’. Well, I’d say that if I see a dumb lawman with half a brain and no balls hiding behind a badge, I suppose I get the trigger twitch. Does _that_ count?”

She blinked once, her expression changing into a blank, unimpressed stare. “Very funny, Jack. I’m laughing hysterically.”

He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “So, what about you? You’ve asked me my motives and all sort of nonsense, so now it’s my turn. What’s _your_ story?” He clasped his hands together and rested his chin atop them.

Her brown ovals quickly became dark slits of anger. “We’re _not_ talking about my history, criminal or not. And for your information, mister, I _have_ no record of mass murder and robbery like you, if that’s what you’re playin’ at.”

He chortled as he threw his hands up in a mock gesture of surprise. “So, it’s all for me, huh? The questions, the punches, the threats. Damn! I’m _flattered!”_ Giving her a sly wink and a grin, he folded his arms and sat waiting for some sort of sharp remark.

She sighed and shook her head. “I reckoned you wouldn’t be easy to get information out of, but I _never_ would’ve guessed you’d be as stubborn as a Mexican’s jack-ass.”

“And I never would’ve guessed you’d be able to throw that hard of a punch,” he confessed with a snort, caressing his jaw and wincing. “I guess we’re both in over our heads, aren’t we?”

“Sure, Jack. Sure.” She crossed her right leg over her left and folded her arms over her chest, sizing him up pound for pound as she did so.

Jack puffed out his chest and lifted his chin. He couldn’t help but look her over as well; he couldn’t help but like what he saw. She was direct, that was for sure, in her mannerisms and speech, and she acted brutish like that of a man but with all the graces of feminine authority. The fact that she looked damned good in her tailored man’s clothing and was able to do her job just as good as any lawman impressed him greatly.

 _But the bitch still punched me_ , he thought with a slight scowl. _And she sure can be_ quite _annoying, with all her probing and prodding at my business…. But still…She’s not bad-lookin’. Not at all._ His grin returned as he thought on, _I bet I could put a smile on_ that _pretty face._

“You likin’ what you see, Marston? Well, stop that shit before I stove your face in with my boot!” She uncrossed her legs and, twisting one of her boots to the side, showed him her shiny, sharp spurs. “You ever heard of a Mexican tattoo, Marston? Well, let me tell you somethin’, _boy_ , I’ll gladly give one to ya on your neck if you keep gawking at me like that.”

Jack cleared his throat and looked out the window as he blushed. He noted it was at least six-thirty by the position of the sun in the morning sky. Outside, he could hear the ranch hands stirring about doing chores, horses blowing and neighing, chickens clucking and crowing, the creaks of wagons and the plodding of horse hooves as travelers passed through. His heart sank as he remembered what was to be expected of him from now on. The pleasure he felt from eyeing the beautiful woman in front of him, and the conversation between them earlier--albeit aggressive and odd--was dashed and thrown aside as he sighed and accepted his new fate, much to his chagrin.

“So…,” he began.

“So,” she agreed, waiting for him to continue. When he didn’t, she asked, “So when are you gonna tell me your motives, your story?”

He snorted as he looked back into her captivating brown eyes. “I’ll answer that question as soon as _you_ tell me _yours_.”

She scowled at him and stood abruptly. “Get up and get ready, and be quick about it. You’ve got a lot of work to do today, and we’re already cuttin’ into your work time. So giddy up, Marston. Hop to it.” Quickly, she turned and opened the cell door. She stopped and waited for him by the doorway, not once looking back at him.

Jack watched her leave, perplexed and yet amused: it bothered him how much pleasure he got from seeing her storm away, not because he had beaten her at her own game, but because of watching her leave, especially when the morning breeze caught her duster and tossed it about as she stormed off. With a grin he kept to himself, he followed her outside and toward the start of his new life.

 

*             *             *

 

“C’mon, princess! I don’t see that fence post movin’ any further!”

“Call me that _one more time_ and I’ll reconsider not hittin’ a woman!”

She had called him “princess”, along with a vast assortment of other feminine titles, at least ten times already that morning. Irate at his new nickname and at the fence post that refused to uproot, Jack threw his entire weight forward, locking his elbows and pushing with his whole body. His gloved hands seized the post in a claw-like grip. His handcuffs rattled as he grappled with the post, pushing and pulling as it wobbled up and out of its deep embedment in the rock-hard ground. Sweat, dirt, and manure stained his white shirt; his red neckerchief was drenched. He had abandoned his duster hours ago when his labor began to get the best of him, and he started to sweat like never before. It wasn’t just his body odor that plagued his nostrils: he had fed the livestock, milked the cows, collected the chicken eggs out of the coop, mucked the horse stalls and the stable, and now he was tearing down a broken section of the cattle corral. According to the woman, the cattle had broken the fence the day before after they spooked when a small pack of coyotes tried to take down one of the weaker calves. Luckily for him, the cattle had already been driven to pasture while he was mucking stalls. While he assumed Bonnie and the others didn’t trust him on horseback yet, he figured they would have him start on a multitudinous list of smaller, dirtier chores. He merely scoffed at it all; he had done it all before, back when Beecher’s Hope was running and his parents were alive.

But now, he had his work cut out for him. It was a challenge of his strength, patience, and above all, tolerance of the troublesome woman who constantly shouted obscene names and words at him. As he panted and struggled, she stood beside him, holding her Henry repeater before her as a precaution as she oversaw his work.

“Put some muscle into it, boy!” she chided. A smile was evident in her voice, though it didn’t register on her face. “C’mon, WORK!”

Fed up with her “encouragements”, Jack gave a mighty roar as he pushed forward. At last, the post uprooted and fell forward, nearly taking him along with it had he not have righted himself and his footing. Straightening up from his bent position, Jack stood glaring homicidally at her, his chest heaving and his skin glistening with sweat. In between gasps, he admonished, “For the last…time… _DON’T_ …call me… “princess”!”

“Oh, but it fits you _so well!”_ She looked him over and motioned at his soiled shirt with a nod. “Oh, but look! Your pretty white shirt has been dirtied up!” She puckered her lips forward in a taunting pout, as if speaking to a toddler before letting slip a bellowing laugh that worsened Jack’s mood. “Poor little thing! This work is just too much for you, I reckon!”

“This comin’ from the bitch who’s been standin’ there all day watching me work.” It was only his first day, and he was already tempted on adding her name to his list of innocents killed, although he f had a viable reason for her murder. _She’s so goddamned annoying!_ he thought with a snarl as he picked up the fence post and carried it over to the gat. He threw on top of the fence post pile and gave a loud, “FUCK!” when the pile tumbled around the ground. Grumbling, he bent over and tidied it up before straightening back up and looking over his shoulder at her.

She strolled over to him, an amused smirk on her face.

“What’s so damn funny?”

She nodded to the fence post pile. “You’re catching on. Being tidy and organized helps keep a ranch goin’, Mister Marston. You’re quite the quick learner.”

“That’s because I’ve done all this shit growin’ up as a kid. I’m a man now and I’m pretty sure I can do this quite well.”

She lifted a finger, interjecting his rant. “Yes, but here’s the thing: you’re still an angry little boy. This is what we’re trying to fix, Jack.”

He dismissed her theory with a wave of his hand. “Psssh! That’s some ridiculous logic if I’ve ever heard it. Where do you come up with this shit, anyway?”

“I read, Mister Marston, and I’m educated, which is more than can be said of you.”

Jack blinked. “You read?”

“Getting to know your enemies through their files requires you to read, idiot.” She rolled her eyes. “You are the most unintelligent man I’ve ever met.”

“And you’re the most arrogant woman I’ve ever met.” He motioned to her attire and chuckled sardonically. “You may dress like a man, but the way you talk makes me think you need to be wearin’ a fancy dress and throwin’ dinner parties with some uppity husband.”

Her grip on the firearm tightened. “I’m NOT an aristocratic asshole, if that’s what you’re saying. I like bein’ a hard-working cowgirl, thank you _very_ much. At least I know the value of hard work, unlike you.” She looked him over with a skeptical overview. “Hell, I see you sittin’ behind a mahogany desk wearin’ some fancy suit, livin’ the easy life in a city. Shoot, you’ve probably wouldn’t have to work a day in your life with that way of living.”

“I’m _not_ a high-class man.”

She locked gazes with him and nodded. “That’s right, Jack. You’re not some sort of business man. Neither are you a rancher or any sort of honorable working man. You’re scum, Jack, an absolute pile of shit to my eyes and everyone else’s here. You’re a no-good, lying, son of a bitch, and I’ll be reminding you of that fact, every second of every day.”

“You’re right, lady. I _am_ a no-good piece of trash.” He stepped closer and pointed down at her. “But I’ll be reminding you of the reason why there are men like me, every second of every day. It’s people like you—lawmen, lawwomen, government agents—who think you’re better than the everyone else. You think that with since you’ve got a badge and a gun, you can decide whose life to take and have no justification for it other than the simple fact that you’re an officer of the law. And you’re sittin’ on a high little cloud oblivious to what you’re really doing. You people don’t get off your high horse enough and come down to earth like us regular folks. It doesn’t matter if I’ve killed people, it’s whether I choose to live with it or not, whether it comes back to bite me in the ass. And it _has_ , thanks to you lawmen. You all have everything, absolutely EVERYTHING in documents, in folders, like you have all of us alphabetized and sorted and thinkin’ you’ve got control over us. But you don’t! And _that’s_ why I’m here, lady, to keep the law in check.”

She struck him across his left cheek with the butt of her repeater. It wasn’t enough to knock him off his feet, but just enough to make him stumble backwards and clutch at his face. “And _that_ is why I’m on this earth, boy, to keep _you_ in check.”

A tendril of blood trickled down the side of his face from a small gash above his right eyebrow. Jack didn’t feel this as he stared at her in a mixture of fascination, rage, and reverence.

“Just for that shit-speech, you won’t be gettin’ those handcuffs off any time soon, nor any supper tonight. _And_ you can say goodbye to your weapons and hat, for that matter, at least until the time as such when you _earn_ them back.” She walked up to him and looked him in the eyes as she swung her repeater around her shoulder. “I know you don’t like me, Jack, and I know you’d rather shoot me and be off on your own little merry way like the fairy you are, but while you’re under my supervision, you’ll be obeying my rules. Rule number one: you are to _never_ disrespect me, or for any other person, for that matter. Rule number two: if you try anything, absolutely _anything_ , I have orders from Bonnie to shoot you dead on the spot, and you know I won’t have a problem with that, seeing as you piss me off enough already. If I were to just shoot you like I had originally wanted, it would be said and done and we wouldn’t have to go through this bullshit of your supposed recompense, but this is Bonnie’s doing, and we all know you need this. So, you will respect her wish of your redemption throughout your stay here at her ranch, and you will work hard, no matter what. Do you understand me?”

He nodded curtly and wiped off the trickle of blood with a less-dirty patch of his white shirt. A throbbing headache began to engulf his head and worsen his mood.

She pointed down to the useless, broken fence posts and commanded, “Now get these over to the campfire by the ranch hands’ houses; they’ll use ‘em for firewood tonight. And be quick about it. You’ve still got a lot to get done today, including getting this fence fixed, and heaven help ya if it’s not all done by sundown, Jack. If _that_ happens, you’ll answer to Bonnie, and I reckon she won’t take to your inefficiency very well.”

Scowling, Jack bent down and began picking up the fence posts. _This bitch is gonna drive me insane before this day is over_ …

 

*             *             *

 

 By the time Jack carried out his evening chores and finished the fence, it was almost completely dark. His body was completely enervated and slick with sweat. Every couple minutes, beads of the salty liquid would trickle down his brow and into his eyes, making them sting and burn until he wiped his face with his already-drenched neckerchief. He guessed he’d drank a gallon of water that day; he couldn’t recall how many times he drank from the well, as well as wash his face and neck off. His limbs quaked; his stomach roared. These made it hard to concentrate on his work as he drove down new fence posts in the holes where the previous ones had stood. When that was finished, he nailed new boards to the posts with the help of his overseer.

At long last, he was finished. He stood back with a relieved sigh and looked over his handiwork, feeling pride blossom slowly in his breast. _My God, it’s been forever since I’ve last put up fence_ , _but I guess I’m not too rusty after all._ He rested his hands on his hips and looked over at his supervisor. “Well? You gonna bitch about anything, or is this good enough for you, _Your Highness?”_

She looked over his work with a critical eye. She licked her lips and nodded. “Not too bad, _princess_. Not too bad at all.” She turned to leave.

He caught her shoulder with excessive strength. “STOP CALLING ME “PRINCESS”, DAMN IT!”

With her free hand, she seized his wrist with a vice-like grip and threw his hand aside all in one swift motion. “As far as I’m concerned, I can call you whatever the fuck I want! And I told you once already today: you will respect me, otherwise, you’ll pay for it in blood.”

He threw back his head and gave a sarcastic guffaw. “HA! What are you gonna do, threaten me? Shoot me? C’mon, lady. Need I remind you that threatening to put a bullet in my head isn’t gonna work?”

Before he could blink, her semi-automatic pistol was inches from his temple. “Let’s test that theory. Last time I had my gun in your face, you nearly shit bricks.”

He looked back at her with as much venomous intent. “And last time you did, you didn’t have the stomach to. You’d best be respectin’ Bonnie’s wishes, now.”

Her hand shook as she pressed the barrel to his forehead. “Goddamn you, Jack Marston.”

He pressed back, letting the barrel dig into his skin. “Go on, lady, do it! Just shoot me and get it over with. I’ve had enough of this bullshit.”

She chuckled darkly. “Oh, you have _no_ idea how bad I want to pull this trigger, Marston.”

“THEN DO IT!”

The stare-down lasted a solid minute before the woman sighed and lowered her pistol. Jack straightened up from his stance: he had leaned forward into the barrel, ready to go. So when his death wish wasn’t granted, he too sighed with disappointment. He kept his eyes to the ground and put his hands on his hips, wishing nothing more than to be rid of this hell on earth.

With a grumble, the woman holstered her gun. “Look, since I can’t just shoot you, we’re gonna have to come to an agreement. If we’re gonna make this work, we’re gonna have to work together here, which is something that neither one of us want to do. I know you don‘t want to be hearin’ this, much less be here, but you have to be. You have to go through this; you and I both know you need it.” She shook her head and crossed her arms across her chest. “But by Christ, it’s only been one goddamn day, and you’re already a stick in the mud.”

Jack shot her an incredulous look, his jaw dropping. “Me?! _You’re_ the one constantly riding my ass, pushin’ me to go faster!”

“Well, _some_ one needs to be telling you that. _Some_ one’s gotta keep you in your place.”

“That’s such bullshit, lady.”

“Well, if you keep pitchin’ it to me, I’ll keep scoopin’ it right back. All you do is bitch and moan.”

“And all _you_ do is piss me off.”

She snorted and inclined her head to him. “Touché, Marston. Touché.”

He lifted his chin, proud that he’d won the banter.

A breeze danced across the corral, taunting them with a brief cool-down and playing with their hair with invisible fingers. Quite unexpectedly, the woman’s eyes widened and she exclaimed, “My God, Marston, you stink worse than a skunk’s ass! You need a bath!”

Jack merely shrugged; a hint of an amused smirk threatened to break his cold-hearted visage. Before he could give her a saucy retort, a sudden yawn escaped his mouth.

Seeing this, the woman punched him lightly on the shoulder and said, “C’mon, princess. It’s past your bedtime.”

“Fuck you, lady!”

She merely laughed at his tired outburst. “C’mon, I’ll show you back to your cell.” She started forward, skirting around the gate as the herd of cattle suddenly appeared, spilling into the corral. She and Jack had to climb over the fence and wait by the gate as several ranch hands on horseback drove the herd back into their pen for the night. Once the herd was safely in and the cowboys had ridden out, the woman closed the gate and headed for the sheriff’s office.

“There’s a wash basin and fresh clothes set up for you back in your cell,” she said over her shoulder. “I had a ranch hand ready that for you. I reckoned you’d stink by the end of the day and need a good bath, and _my God_ , was I right!”

“Well, if you wouldn’t have pushed me so goddamn hard today, I wouldn’t have sweated so much.”

She scoffed. “That’s the idea, boy.”

He grumbled an incoherent curse as he fell into step beside her.

Together, they made their way to the sheriff’s office. Jack struggled to keep up with her energetic stride, stumbling and shuffling along. His arms hung loosely at his sides, and he slouched as he shuffled along, worn out and grumpy like an old man.

“You doin’ all right back there, princess?” She glanced back at him with a coy smile and stopped, waiting for him to catch up.

“Shut up, I’m comin’.”

With a chuckle, she walked on beside him. She looked him over and asked, “You gonna be all right? You’re looking a little ragged ‘round the edges.”

“Why the hell do you care?”

“I don’t want my slave dying on me after the first day.”

He gave an unimpressed harrumph as they reached the sheriff’s office. He walked into his cell without a fuss, where he found a bowl of steaming soup, a neatly-folded pile of ranch hand clothing, and a medium-sized basin full with water. Smiling at the sight of these comforts, Jack sat down and immediately dug into his supper like an emaciated coyote finding the remains of a cow carcass.

The woman stood leaning against the doorframe of his cell, her arms folded across her chest and a disgusted frown spreading across her beautiful face.

He paused in his ravenous eating and looked up at her. “What?”

“You sure are an outlaw. You’re just as uncivilized and unmannerly as one, that’s for sure.” She nodded down to the basin. “You’d best get cleaned up tonight after you finish eating. You need it.”

He paused in his frenzied feasting to glare up at her. “I know that, damn it. Why don’t you just leave me be already?”

She gave him a cross look and pushed herself off the doorframe. “Be ready by five tomorrow morning, scumbag. There’s a lot more work that needs to be done.” She closed his cell door and locked it with a skeleton key that she’d fished out of her vest pocket. Her boots thumped and her spurs clinked a rhythm as she walked toward the door.

Finishing his soup, Jack set the bowl down on the floor and called out, “Hey, lady! Wait a second.”

She paused in the doorway, looking back at him over her shoulder. Her long dark hair whipped about, making a half-circle in its movement before draping over her right shoulder.

“You haven’t told me what your name is.”

Her brown eyes narrowed to small slits. “You haven’t earned that knowledge yet, _princess_.” With that, she walked out, closing the door behind her rather roughly.


	2. Shrew

The first week drug by painfully slow for Jack; the days were excruciatingly long, at least fourteen hours long each day, and each night he was sore, drenched in sweat, and exhausted. He was in a constant wearisome, angry mood, his patience at its thinnest and his tolerance of his overseer even less. She was a constant headache, a ceaseless, irritable shadow that never failed to remind him of his worthlessness, his small chances of redemption, and his apparent lack of work ethic and morals. With every harsh remark, he’d reply in kind. The banter and name-calling between master and slave never ended, only becoming worse as the week progressed. He learned that she hated being called anything related to city-folk and their supposed easy lifestyle, especially if he associated her to any sort of high-class housewife. His triumph was always short-lived when she would shoot back a clever retort to this, usually involving some sort of emasculating comment about his supposed lack of masculinity or his pitiful point in life. It was a game for them, and day by day, they had grown to thrive off of it. Their skills in insulting each other improved, and they kept score, tallying up their points at the end of the day and rubbing it in the loser’s face before parting ways to sleep off their anger, only to start the new day refreshed and full of new insults to try.

The woman kept him doing the same chores the first week, throwing in the occasional repair of a building or fence. However, she never let him ride Dark Horse and help with driving the cattle to pasture, nor did she let him join Bonnie or a few ranch hands in trips to Armadillo for supplies, or even have him exercise the corral full of horses. She never mentioned giving back his accoutrements or taking off his handcuffs, even when they had begun to dig into his wrists.

“Just put some rags around the edges, princess,” she commented sarcastically when he brought it up. “You’re not gettin’ them off any time soon; you haven’t earned the right to have them taken off. So suck it up.” At this, he merely scoffed, but when he did what she suggested, he realized, much to his chagrin, that it worked and kept his handcuffs from cutting into his flesh. He missed the freedom of doing whatever he damn well pleased, missed the weight of his pistol on his hip and the joy he felt riding the Dark Horse around wherever he desired. But he sadly had left that life, and with a heavy heart, he had begun to slowly but surely accept that fact.

Twice that week, despite his exhaustion at the end of the day, she made him do a night watch with her. She allowed him to have his lasso back for those two nights. Even when she gave it to him, she hesitated, still unsure if her decision was wise. Still, it was necessary for their jobs. They had caught a horse thief in the act one night; the woman shot him in the leg, making him fall off the horse and hobble when he tried to run away, and Jack lassoed and hogtied him. On the second night of their watch, the woman heard the distressed cries of chickens. She quickly dispatched the two coyotes with a bullet each from her semi-automatic pistol. She had Jack dispose of the bodies on the edge of the MacFarlane property, making sure she followed with gun at the ready in case he tried to run away in the process. Nevertheless, she and Jack proved to be quite the efficient pair when it came to defending the ranch.

Bonnie rarely spoke to him, much less looked at him whenever their paths crossed. She was busy running the ranch as usual, but he knew otherwise. She was avoiding him, whether by anger, disgust, guilt, or a combination of the three, he did not know. Dehumanizing the son of her deceased friend most likely helped in her cold-shouldering, which hurt him to the core, but he refused to show it. He had come to terms with what he had become; he realized her coldness towards him was deserved, and that made him feel even less of a man and more of a childish fool.

He felt even more of a fool on the seventh day of his recompense. He remarked, rather oddly, that it was a Saturday evening, when it all happened. He and a middle-aged black ranch hand named Eli Jones were mucking out the stalls in the horse barn. It was his last chore of the day, and Jack took to scooping the soiled straw with eagerness, hardly waiting to be taking a bath and enjoying supper alone in his cell. The simple comforts he once deemed miniscule were now his rewards after a long day of labor and irritation.

It was on this day that the woman deemed him trustworthy enough to work alongside a ranch hand and not under her watch. Jack was extremely grateful for her absence. To finally be in the presence of someone besides her for the first time in six days was a comfort in itself. The two men chatted occasionally, confiding in each other’s company. He had just finished with his second-to-last stall and was resting against the handle of his pitchfork, with the head embedded in the ground by his feet. Out of the corner of his eye, his attention was caught by the recognizable red cherry of a smoke in the fading light of the day. Turning his head, he looked in the direction of where the light resided.

It was then that his feisty overseer in a way he’d never seen her before. She sat in a rocking chair on the porch of Bonnie’s house, her boots propped up on the railing. Her long dark hair flowed freely down her shoulders and chest like a black waterfall. Her duster was draped over the railing. In her left hand, she held a thick, smoking cigar; in her right, a red leather-bound book. Jack squinted in the growing darkness to discern the title, which he could make out was “The Taming of the Shrew” by William Shakespeare. His eyes widened.

Jack stared on as she paused in her reading to lift the cigar to her lips. Casually, she wrapped her full lips around the butt of the cigar, pursing them slightly as she closed her eyes and took four quick puffs. She then took a long, slow, final puff, filling her mouth with the spicy, savory flavor of the cigar and its smoke, before releasing it in a magnificent white cloud that coiled upwards. The smoke framed her face majestically before billowing up and around her Stetson and dissipating all around her. When the smoke drifted away, she lifted her head and opened her eyes, looking out at the plains with a reflective countenance.

It was the most erotic thing Jack had seen in his whole life. He grew hard for her as he stared mystified by the very woman he’d come to hate in the past six days.

“Ya best be closin’ ya mouth, Mistuh Mawsten, before ya get ta catchin’ flies.”

Startled and deeply embarrassed, Jack snapped out of his erotic reverie, adjusting his pants and looking quickly away from the woman. Eagerly, he began mucking out his last stall.

Eli chuckled. His laugh was known all around Hennigan’s Stead, as was his sweet, hard-working disposition. He rested his dark, broad hands on the end of his pitchfork and leaned against it. “She’s a beauty, ain’t she?”

Jack looked up at him, feigning naivety. “Who?”

The Negro motioned over to the woman with a nod, a grin forming on his large lips and brilliant array of teeth. “Ya ain’t tha first boy ta git caught a-ganderin’ at her. She’s a perdy lil’ thang, ain’t she?”

Jack frowned and quickened his pace, eager to be done with the day and the growing awkward conversation. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, mister.”

“Oh, come off it, boy. You was starin’ at her like a lunatic at tha moon. I done saw ya doin’ it, mistuh.”

“That’s bullshit, Eli.” He stabbed at the manure-ridden straw with excessive strength before tossing it into the wheel barrow a few feet away. “I wasn’t staring. I was just…resting a bit.”

Eli chortled. “Yessuh, you was restin’, alright. Restin’ ya eyes on that perdy lil’ wildflower.”

“Shut up, old man!”

Eli looked over at the woman smoking her cigar in reflective peace. He smiled as he ran his eyes over the beautiful gal before turning his gaze to Jack. “She’s perdier than a violent snowdrop a-bloomin’ in tha snow,” he remarked, watching the boy intently for a reaction.

“Yeah, I suppose she’s pretty.”

“Perdier than a Texas sunset, as fierce ’n’ wild as a mustang filly. She sho got some spunk in ‘er, that woman.”

Jack snorted and nodded. “Yeah, she sure does, Eli. Hell, I’ve got the bruises to prove it. She sure as shit likes to punch me or hit me with her repeater whenever she thinks I’m not doin’ something right or fast enough…or whenever I piss her off, which is quite often. I get a fresh set of bruises every damn day, thanks to her.”

Seemingly oblivious to Jack’s commentary, Eli gushed on, his chin lifting and his eyes gleaming with reverence for the woman he spoke of. “She’s perdier than Heaven itself, I reckon. Lawd, I bet she done received mo’ marriage proposals than tha sun sets and tha moon rises combined.”

“That many, huh? Why is she not married then?”

“‘Cause there ain’t no man alive that can tame that lil’ filly. She runs wild, mistuh. No man can touch ‘er.” He paused, giving him a scrutinizing look-over. “Why? Ya wantin’ ta try ‘n’ tame her, boy?”

Jack paused in his labor to straighten up from his bent stance and stare at him. “Why are you talkin’ such bullshit, Eli? Where do you get these ideas?”

The older man shrugged and laughed, his shoulders bouncing at the convulsions. “I ain’t tawkin’ no bullshit, Mawsten. I’s just makin’ an observashun.” He rested his pitchfork against the stall door and walked over to Jack. He patted his shoulder good-naturedly and said, “Well, I wish ya tha best a luck with that filly, boy.”

Jack jabbed the pitchfork down into the ground. “I am NOT trying to “tame” her! Fuck, I don’t even like that brute of a woman! She’s crueler than a rattlesnake. She’s bitchier than a three-legged dog chasing after a jackrabbit. Hell, she’s manlier than an old, nasty cowboy out on the trail.” He shook his head and scoffed to himself, “‘Tame her’. Jesus Christ…”

Eli pointed a thick finger down at his chest. “Don’t ya be disrespectin’ her! She may cuss like a filthy cowboy ‘n’ have tha mannuhs of one, but she’s one hell of a hawd worker! With her ‘n’ Bonnie runnin’ the ranch, since Boss Man Drew can’t move ‘round as much nowadays, it’s a -blossomin’ quite well. She’s a _damn_ fine woman, ‘n’ no man alive is worth how much she means ta this here ranch! Bonnie would be in debt right now if it weren’t fer her givin’ her the five-thousand dolluhs she done got in bounty reward.”

Jack’s eyes widened. “She gave Bonnie _how much?”_

“Five-thousand dolluhs, Mistuh Mawsten.”

“Jesus…” Yet again, he was stunned by her. She was so confusing, cruel one moment and kind the next. He grew defensive, however, when he continued, “Why don’t you try “taming” her since you’re sayin’ all these romances ‘bout her beauty and such?”

Eli guffawed and waved a hand. “I’m too old ‘n’ she’s too much fer me. She done turned away all offers, ‘n’ I doubt she’ll be a-changin’ her mind any time soon.” He looked Jack over observantly, and he cocked his head to the side. “Any man here on this ranch don’t stand a chance. Any man…but you, Mistuh Mawsten. ‘Cause when I see ya tawkin’ ta her, ‘n’ she’s tawkin’ ta you, I think ya got a fightin’ chance, boy.” Chuckling, he turned and headed out the double barn doors toward the glow of the bonfire behind the general store, where his fellow ranch hands were mingling and eating supper.

“I ain’t lookin’ for romance, mister, especially in that crazy woman!” Jack asserted, once again stabbing his pitchfork into the ground. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my life, it’s that whenever I get close to someone, they…leave.”

The Negro smiled back at him over his shoulder. “That might be true, Jack, but ev’rybody gots ta have somebody.” He tipped his hat to Jack before walking on toward the bonfire.

Jack watched him leave. He shook his head and scoffed as he went back to work. _That old fool. What the hell does he know?_ For a long while, he worked in silence, trying hard to concentrate on finishing up for the night, but the image of her smoking that cigar haunted him. _She is beautiful_ … _but my God, she’s a bitch._ With a tired sigh, he finished with the stall and rested the pitchfork beside Eli’s against the wall. He left the barn and made his way up to the ranch house toward his overseer. He kept his gaze the ground as he drew closer. He stopped at the bottom of the porch steps and cleared his throat.

She flicked the long stem of ash from the end of her cigar and looked at him, waiting for his report.

“The stalls are clean,” he reported dryly, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand.

She took a long drag before releasing the smoke in a billowing haze around her face. “Good.” She looked him over. “You all right, Marston? You look like you’re about to keel over on the spot.”

He cleared his throat. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just…tired.”

“As well you should be,” she shot back, a hint of a smile in her voice as she put her book down on the porch. She stood up, put her cigar in her mouth, and grabbed her duster off the railing. She shrugged it on before plucking her cigar from her lips. She bent down to retrieve her book and eyed it with fondness as she straightened back up.

Jack admired the beautiful red leather cover. The title was etched into it in gold, flowing lettering. The tip of a hawk feather poked out from the middle of the pages.

“You ever read Shakespeare, Marston?”

He blinked and shook his head. “No. I never thought I’d see _you_ reading his work, though.” He grinned sardonically. “I always thought you’d be too busy scheduling dinner parties and answering calling cards in your uppity mansion.”

“Shut your yippus, princess.” She took a puff and, walking down the steps, released the smoke deliberately in his face, making him blink and sputter and step back.

“Damn it, woman,” he griped, rubbing his eyes. “What the hell was that for?”

“I enjoy putting you in your place, Jack.” She chuckled softly. “I wouldn’t take you for a reading type. I figured you’d be too stupid to make out words, much less appreciate great literary works such as Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets.”

“I can read, you prissy little shit. I’m not as stupid as you take me for. Hell, at one point, I was even aspiring to become a writer someday.”

She threw back her head and guffawed. “And what would you write about? Your pitiful career as an outlaw? I can only imagine how riddled your story would be of misspellings and incorrect grammar.” She shook her head and giggled as she puffed on her cigar.

Jack grew silent, too tired and baffled to come up with a viable counterattack.

The woman lifted her chin as she released the smoke. “What, no shitty comeback, Marston? I guess that means I win this time.”

He shrugged. “I honestly don’t give a damn right now. I’m too tired.”

“You’d better come back tomorrow with some new material, Jack. I must say I’m rather disappointed.”

He scoffed and, for the first time, gave her a soft smile. “Oh, I’ll get you back for that, don’t you worry.”

“Good. For a second, I thought I had you beat down. You’d better not just lay down and give up on me. God forbid you _ever_ give in to a strong-willed woman.”

“Pssh. Don’t get your hopes up _too_ high, lady. I‘m not done fightin’ just yet.”

“Good!” She dropped her cigar near her right boot and ground it out. “Let’s get you to your quarters, princess. You definitely need your beauty sleep.”

Together, they made their way to the sheriff’s office. As was routine for them, Jack walked into his cell without a fuss, and she closed and locked the door behind him. He sat down on his bed and ate his soup with gusto. As always, she briefly watched him eat with disgust before shaking her head and walking out the building.

Just as she reached the doorway, he asked her, “So are you ever gonna tell me your name, lady? It’ll give me some new material to make fun of you.”

With a clever smile, she looked back at him and quoted, “‘Why sir, I trust I may have leave to speak. And speak I will. I am no child, no babe. Your betters have endured me say my mind, And if you cannot, best you stop your ears. My tongue will tell the anger of my heart, Or else my heart, concealing it, will break. And, rather than it shall, I will be free Even to the uttermost, as I please, in words.’” With that, she disappeared into the night, leaving him to ponder and unravel her answer.


	3. Horseplay

“Hey, princess…Princess, wake up!”

Still in the realm of his dreams, Jack lay on his side in bed unmoving, the sheets pulled up to his face.

“PRINCESS!”

He jerked awake. His eyes snapped open, and he rolled over with a groan of protest and glared up at his overseer.

“Ah! I see you’ve finally decided to listen to me and wake up.” She stood at his bedside, her hands on her hips and her duster pulled back behind her fists and revealing her pistol and sheathed hunting knife. She kicked the mattress, jostling him further. “Get up, you lazy prick. We’ve got work to do.”

“‘We’?” Jack questioned, his voice hoarse from misuse. Clearing his throat, he sat up in bed and rubbed a hand over his face and through his disheveled hair. “I never knew _you_ did any work around here. All you do is stand around and nag, nag, nag.”

“And all you do is whine, whine, whine.” Her long hair swayed as she shook her head. “You’re not really in the saddle yet, huh, Marston? I was expecting a better start from you today after those miserable come-backs from last night. Are you losin’ your touch, boy?”

He glowered up at her. “No, I’m just losin’ sleep is all. You and Bonnie got me so damn overworked, I feel like an over-used whore.”

“Well, you sure stink like one.”

“At least I don’t look like one.” He motioned to her with a curt nod as he swung his legs around the edge of the bed and faced her.

She kicked his left shin, making him cry out in agony and slouch forward. “To hell with you, Marston! I refuse to be like those pieces of trash who sell their bodies for little more than paper! You, on the other hand, I can see you selling your body for even less, hell, even for free!”

Clutching at his leg, he hissed back through his pain, “If I were free, I’d come to women like you who don’t have a chance at getting any satisfied customers!”

She raised her eyebrows. “That’s a goddamn lie if ever I heard of one! I’ve turned down more men than the amount of times you’ve probably wet yourself over whores, you little prick! If anything, I’d say I’m the one who’s getting everyone paying big money to even settle for my name, much less a small bit of conversation.”

Jack scoffed and sat back up. “Well, ain’t you just the most uppity, self-centered woman.”

“I may be all high and mighty, but I sure as hell am not a cocky, salacious son of a bitch like you. You never know when to shut your trashy mouth.”

“Hey!” came a commanding feminine voice from the doorway. “If you two are done talking _pleasantries_ , I’d like to see you both outside for a minute.”

Jack and his arrogant overseer looked over to see Bonnie standing in the doorway of the sheriff’s office, her arms folded across her chest and an annoyed frown on her thin lips. “Now finish this pointless banter and come out here.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the woman responded. She looked back down at her slave. “ _That_ is what’s known as showing respect. I was hoping you’d eventually pick up on that, but I suppose you’re a tenacious bastard.” She turned and walked out of the cell.

“Lady, you gotta give respect to get it, and so far, you haven’t earned my respect.”

She half-turned and glared at him over her shoulder, her hair and duster whipping about angrily. “And you won’t be receiving any respect from me any time soon, or from Bonnie.”

He chortled darkly and rubbed his shin with his palms. “What else is new? You two hate me more than a horse hates rattlers. You’ve both been against me ever since I got my face on a wanted poster.”

“For good reason, Jack.”

“In you women’s eyes, sure, but not in mine.”

She cocked her head to the side and glared down at him from below the brim of her hat. “You’re not even _close_ to bein’ a man, Marston, and until you get anywhere nearer to the day of your redemption, you’ll be revered as nothing more than an angry, vengeful boy who thinks his stupid actions and decisions are justified just because his pa got shot down by men who were doing their jobs.”

_“‘DOING THEIR JOBS?!’”_ he roared as he stood and strode up to her. He shoved his face into hers. “Those bastards came onto OUR land and killed my father in COLD FUCKING BLOOD, all because they believed he wasn’t a changed man and didn’t do his job like they wanted! They sent him out across this godforsaken land to do their dirty work, and then they shot him down like a DOG! DO _NOT_ tell me them lawmen were simply doing their jobs, when all we were doing was moving on and living our lives as honest ranchers! You need to get your facts straight before your stupidity gets you killed!”

She swung her right fist at his face, but he caught it and held it with an inescapable grip. She glared into his eyes with a fiery passion; he could feel her arm shake with a frenzied urge to strike him or shoot him. But something held her back, and not just her physical restraint by Jack. There was something in her eyes that he recognized. Was it envy, empathy, or sadness? Maybe even knowing, like she too had experienced betrayal? Hid behind his mask of anger, he processed this with slight confusion.

_Why would she empathize with me?_

“‘Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain!” she bellowed. “‘O, vengeance! Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave, That I, the son of a dear father murder’d, Must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words, And fall a-cursing, like the very drab, A scullion!’”

He released his grip and stared at her, his anger melting from his face. “What in the hell are you talking about?”

She dropped her fist to her side and smirked knowingly. “I’m simply stating the words your sly, pitiful mouth should be saying. You remind me of him so much.”

“Who?”

“Hamlet. You’re just as whiny, vengeful, and pathetic as him, though I doubt you’d be as cunning as he was in his act of revenge.”

He shook his head. “You’re talkin’ in riddles, lady.”

A victorious sneer made its way to the corners of her full lips. “Oh, but you make it _so very easy_ to befuddle you.”

He snorted. “How touching.”

The loud clearing of a throat made the two turn their attention back to the doorway. Bonnie was still standing there. “You two ‘bout done?”

“Yes, ma’am,” the woman replied, taking a step back from Jack. He motioned to him with a quick wave of her hand. “I just had to talk some sense into this boy first, is all.”

Bonnie rolled her eyes and sighed. “Quoting Shakespeare to him will only confuse the boy.”

“Everybody needs a good scolding every once in a while, ma’am, even if it’s in Shakespearean tongue.”

“You’ll be gettin’ a scolding, too, if you and Jack don’t get the lead out and come out here!”

The two quarrelers joined her on the porch.

“Well?” Jack grunted, eyes half-opened from exhaustion and boredom. “What sort of slave work do you have for me today?”

She silenced him with a deadly glare. “Earlier this week, Daddy spotted a small band of mustangs near Pike’s Basin. I want you two to round up a couple and bring ‘em back here.”

“Sure thing, Bonnie!” The woman elbowed Jack harshly in the ribs and eagerly started for the barn. “C’mon, princess! Let’s go get us some mustangs!”

“Hold up a moment,” Bonnie interjected and stepped closer to Jack. She looked him in the eye with the most threatening gaze she could muster as she retrieved a small key from her shirt pocket. She seized Jack by the wrists and turned them palm-up. As she unlocked his handcuffs, she warned, “I’m taking these off because you’re gonna need your hands free to bring in a couple of those mustangs. BUT…if you try ridin’ off or assaultin’ my friend here, I’ve given her orders to shoot you dead off your horse. I’m not joking around, Jack. You try _one little thing_ and she blows your heart right out of your chest. Got it?”

The handcuffs jangled as they fell off Jack’s wrists and into Bonnie’s awaiting hands. He rubbed at the skin where the metal had rubbed against his flesh. He flexed and opened his hands and fingers several times before looking up at Bonnie.

She glared at him, expecting an answer. “Well?”

He nodded.

Her eyes narrowed further. “Jack…”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, nearly gagging on the words.

“Good. Now get goin’.”

He received his lasso from her and stared down at it. He was not looking forward to this.

She gave him one last warning glare as she took a step closer to him. He shied back slightly, eyes widening as she growled, “If you try anything…” She left her sentence hanging for him to conjure up ghastly images of his own demise in his mind’s eye. She turned and stomped to the house, her braided blonde hair swaying behind her.

Jack bowed his head and stared solemnly down at his scarred wrists and at the lasso he held. She was good at keeping him miserable. He glanced up at his overseer. _I swear it must be a female thing…She’s good at it, too._

“You doin’ all right, you little fairy queen?” His supervisor looked him up and down quizzically.

He straightened up and lifted his chin, masking his emotions with his usual scowl. “I’m fine. Why do you care?”

“I don’t. I was just afraid you’d start crying on me. I’ve noticed you shrink down like an abused dog whenever Bonnie’s around.”

“I do not!”

“Pssh! Come on, you little pansy! You’re _afraid_ of her, just as you are of me.”

He faced her fully, squaring his shoulders, and stated, “I fear no one, especially you two women. Hell, I don’t fear a damn thing, for that matter.”

“Except an honest living and a sense of maturity.” She shoved her shoulder into his as she walked around him and headed for the barn. “Now come on, you big softy. We’ve got work to do, and Bonnie’s given us most of the day to get it done. It’ll take us a while to get to the band.”

He fell into step beside her, scoffing. “Ha! I’d be hard-pressed to see _you_ pushin’ your weight around here. I don’t think I’ve _ever_ seen Your Royal Highness do any physical labor.”

“Trust me, Marston, I’d run circles around you if I didn’t have to baby-sit you all damn day long. I’d much rather be working alongside the men. I’d _easily_ show you up, seeing as you work at the speed of an old woman.”

“To be fair, you bitch and bicker like an old woman.”

“Shut it, boy. I’ll prove to you I can outwork you.”

“Oh, this I gotta see!”

Their senses became assailed with the snorts, whinnies, and nickers of horses as they entered the stable. Horse manure, hay, straw, and dirt battered their nostrils as they went to their mounts and greeted them. Jack grinned as he saw the Dark Horse’s piebald head poke out of his stall and nicker at him.

“Hey, boy,” Jack cooed as he stood before his mount’s stall door. He ran a hand up the horse’s white muzzle, avoiding the scratches and scars as his hand came to rest underneath his forelock. He retrieved his bridle from a hook on the wall and slipped into his horse’s stall. The Dark Horse took the bit anxiously as he slipped on the bridle.

He looked over his shoulder as he led his horse out of the stall. He watched as the woman led her black beauty out of her stall before turning the horse around. The mare’s flaxen mane and tail shimmered in the morning light; her muscular body rippled as she followed her rider. The woman dropped the reins to the ground, and her mare obediently stood still as her rider petted her muscular frame and whispered sweet nothings to her. The mare pricked her ears, listening intently.

“There’s a good girl, there, Gypsy. You’re lookin’ mighty fine, aren’t you, my darling?”

Gypsy bobbed her head and nickered in reply. The woman responded with more affection, running her fingers through the mare’s mane and scratching her neck with her fingernails, before she walked into the barn and fetched her hose’s blanket and saddle from a saw horse. She placed the blanket on her horse’s back before swinging the saddle up and over Gypsy’s back, adjusting wherever needed and walking around her several times to make sure everything was in position before she tightened up the front cinch.

Jack tied his horse to a hitching post to the side of the stall door before he walked over to Gypsy. He held out his hand to the mare, inviting her to take in his scent and introduce himself to her.

The mare’s ears pinned flat against her head as she eyed him warily. Suddenly, she opened her mouth and lunged at him. Jack jumped back before the horse’s teeth latched onto his outstretched hand. His supervisor grabbed the reins and held her horse back in case she felt the need to lunge forward again. “Jack, back up!”

He retreated to the Dark Horse and glaring at the black mare with confusion, fear, and anger. “What the hell’s wrong with her?”

The woman patted Gypsy’s neck. “Whoa, girl. Calm down.” She looked at him and explained, “She doesn’t like some men. It depends with her. Sometimes, she’ll stand there and let them pet her. Other times, she’ll try to bite them. Apparently, you came off as a threatening person, and she doesn’t take to men like that.”

Jack scoffed. “What a load of bullshit.”

The woman lifted a finger and smirked. “No, Jack, not bullshit. _Horse_ shit.”

“All I did was give her my hand to sniff at! I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“She and I are a lot alike,” she replied, giving her horse a pat on the neck before tightening the back cinch. “Apparently, she caught the same whiff as I did when I first met you.”

He rolled his eyes and tossed the Dark Horse’s blanket and saddle on his back. “Women,” he grumbled as he tightened the front cinch.

“Say what you will, Jack, but women have a sort of intuition, a kind of kinship between us.”

“I still am calling it all bullshit¾Sorry, _horse_ shit.”

She laughed. “ _Now_ you’re catching on.”

“So where’d you find this crazy mare?” He finished with the front cinch and began working on the back.

The woman crisscrossed the reins atop the saddle horn before putting her left foot in the stirrup. She gracefully mounted up, gathering the reins in her right hand and draping her lasso around the saddle horn with her left. “I found her in the wild. Pa and I were riding out to pasture checking our cattle when I saw her over by the river.”

“So you brought her home and broke her?” Jack quickly mounted before looking over at the woman, waiting patiently for her answer. Beneath him, the Dark Horse quivered with excitement. He frowned and gave his horse a soothing pat on the neck with his left hand while gathering the reins with his right. He too draped his lasso around the saddle horn.

She shook her head, smiling slightly at his ignorance. “She and I joined up in the wild.”

He blinked. “‘Joined up’?”

She grinned. “I’ll explain later.” She nodded toward the open barn doors and reined her horse around. “C’mon, Marston. Let’s concentrate first on findin’ those mustangs before we talk about “breaking” horses.” She clicked her tongue; Gypsy walked forward, her ears pricked and tail raised slightly.

Jack urged his horse after her, and as he came up alongside Gypsy, he asked, “So you know how to break horses, too, huh?”

“Mm-hmm.”

He looked her over dubiously. “You’re a little too small to be doin’ man’s work.”

She glared at him. “Watch it, princess, before I shove my boot up your ass. I may be small, but I can do many of the same things that men can do. Hell, I can do it _better_. And despite your doubts, I know how to kick a man’s ass…well, in your case, a _boy’s_ ass.”

He chuckled and shook his head. “Looks like a girl but punches like a man.”

“That’s right.”

As they rode through the ranch, many of the ranch hands inclined their hats to the woman, giving her cheery good mornings and smiling up at her. She tipped her hat to them and responded in kind. As they rode past the stagecoach and the train station, Jack shook his head and stated, “Well, ain’t that a crock of shit. Here you are being gracious and angelic to these men when you’re such a pain in the ass to me.”

She scoffed and tossed her hair back over her shoulder with a flick of her head. “Like I said before, you haven’t earned my respect yet.”

He looked back over his shoulder, spotting several ranch hands staring after his supervisor with adoration in their eyes, among other strong emotions. He gave a sour humph and turned back around. He shook his head. “I don’t get it.”

“What?” she asked, glancing over at him as they walked their horses across the railroad tracks and onto the road. Clicking her tongue, she urged Gypsy into a trot.

“Nothing.”

Jack didn’t need to urge the Dark Horse to keep apace. In his giddiness, the scarred steed gave a small crow-hop and a grunt of a nicker. Jack gathered the reins, his hands inching forward on them and shortening the horse’s space to move his head. The piebald responded with a toss of his head.

“Give your horse his head, damn it!”

“I know how to handle my horse, so back off, lady.”

“You need to respect your horse, Marston. If you treat him harshly, he’ll give you that right back.”

He scoffed. “Horseshit.”

“I’m fuckin’ serious, boy! Horses may be animals, but we still need to treat them with kindness. You spoil a good horse with rotten behavior, like what you _just_ did. Horses are the ones who grace us with the honor to carry us on their backs. You lose their respect, and you get bucked off, and for good reason, too.” As an example, she clicked her tongue yet again; Gypsy transitioned smoothly into a lope. “You see? Show your horse kindness and respect, and they’ll give it right back. Horses are willing to please, if you’ll just let them.”

Jack shook his head. “You women and your horse-talk. What a load of¾”

She whipped his leg with the ends of her reins. “You men and your dominative ways! Always trying to take control, always taking away freedom and destroying life!”

His leg smarted viciously. Through his pain, Jack hissed back, “And all you women do is let your judgment be clouded by emotion! You’re always trying to save pointless things, fight pointless battles. Well, life isn’t all daisies and clouds, lady! It’s harsh and brutal, and it’s short, so why waste your time being a push-over when you can just get past all that nonsense and get ahead in life?”

“What the hell type of logic is that, Jack? How can you think like that? At least I am empathetic.”

“You’re so full of shit! You haven’t _once_ shown me any sort of empathy! You’re such a hypocrite, lady!”

“That’s because you’re not human; you’re something else, something feral and unearthly. You kill and rob without pity; you take whatever you wish without remorse. You’re a criminal scum.”

Jack narrowed his eyes at her. “You’ve already established that I’m worthless. Can we move past that now?”

She shook her head. “Not until you’ve accepted that fact.” With that, she looked forward, effectively ending the harsh conversation, and urged her horse into a canter.

Jack followed suit, riding alongside her. He glared over at her, not finished with her just yet. “I already have accepted what I’ve done and what I’ve become. You just like to throw it in my face.”

“There’s a method for my teachings, Jack. You just haven’t caught on. Or if you somehow have, you’re just too proud to admit it. I don’t see why, though, since you’ve got nothing to be proud of.”

“You may be right, lady, but what else am I gonna do besides lay down and give up like an old lame horse?”

She laughed, her voice like a trill of bells. She grinned over at him. Her eyes met his, and for a moment, he saw joy in them. “Well, I suppose not. Still, what is it with men and their pride? I’ll _never_ understand it, no matter how much time I spend working alongside the more brutish, visceral sex.”

Jack smirked slyly. “Well, what is it with women and their feelings? I’ll _never_ understand that.”

“Feelings aren’t all bad, Marston: they’re what make us human. You should give ‘em a try. Hell, they might even do your wicked heart some good and get that cold dead thing to start beating again, if it ever was.”

He shook his head and looked forward with a determined frown. “I think I’ll stick to being myself, thanks.”

“You mean staying as a cold-hearted bastard?”

He grinned back at her. “Yes, ma’am.”

She gasped with overzealous shock. “My, oh my! Marston just showed me some respect!” She clutched at her chest. “I do believe I’m gonna have a heart attack.”

He beamed at her. “Be sure that you do. It’ll rid me of your annoying little sass-mouth. And that’s all the respect you’ll be getting from me for the rest for the day, so take that with a silver spoon, miss.”

She played along with a dashing smile. “You’ll be sorely disappointed to know I’m not gonna die off _that_ easily, Mister Marston. I’m a tough old bird of sorts.”

“Ah, damn it!”

The rest of the ride was spent in silence save for the monotonous, thundering hoof beats and the panting of their horses as they galloped down the road. They had turned off the road before it led them down into Cholla Springs; they galloped through patches of dense woods and across open prairie. They had spooked up several herds of deer, a pack of coyotes, a multitudinous array of birds, and other smaller wildlife, but there was no sign of the small band of horses. Despite the despairing chances so far, the two rode on in search of their quarry.

The silence was almost unbearable for Jack. He had come to enjoy talking with the woman and listening to the way she talked. She had a faded Irish trill that almost completely disappeared from spending so much time working around ranch hands. _My grandfather was Irish…Goddamn it, I wish she’d just hurry up and tell me her story already. I’d settle for her name at least to begin with._

He was about to voice his thoughts to her when she exclaimed, “Look! There they are!” She pointed off the right, towards a vast expanse of plain to a small band of about ten mustangs. The matriarch of the band, a middle-aged-looking bay mare, sounded a bugle of warning at the first sign of approaching danger, and the herd immediately took off behind her lead in a thunder of hoof falls and a tumultuous cloud of dust.

“Let’s get ‘em, Marston! HYAH!”

The woman and her horse took off after the herd. Jack stared on in fascination as she urged her black mare after a beautiful pinto filly. It all looked ridiculously easy how she raced on in hot pursuit of her target; she had skillfully cut the youngster from the herd and was chasing her off to the side, keeping her horse between her target and the band of mustangs. Her lasso was a tan tornado above her head as she swung it.

In the next instant, her lasso was securely around the horse’s neck; the other end of the rope was wrapped several times around the saddle horn. The captured filly squealed and threw her front legs out wildly and pulling with her back legs. The horse tried her hardest to race back to her band, and she gave a trumpeting call out to them but received no answer. She bucked and reared, fighting for her freedom from the strange creature that held her at bay atop one of her own kind.

The woman eased her horse to a steady lope as the filly fought and played herself out. By the time she had come to a complete stop, the mustang was standing still, panting and covered in a sheen of sweat. She began to talk soothingly to the mustang, even though she knew she was wild and was terrified of her. It was all she could do for now as she sat in the saddle.

Quite suddenly, the woman looked up and met gazes with Jack. She was two hundred yards away, but her voice traveled far and clear as she shouted incredulously, “Well? Don’t just stand there, Marston! Go get one!”

Jack turned his horse around and took off in the direction of where he saw the band last. He spurred the Dark Horse into a full-blown sprint across the plains. His eyes scanned around as he searched for the mustangs, and he began to grow fearful that they had run off too far from him. His horse never once broke speed; the terrain didn’t affect him as much, and so it came to a great advantage when he finally spotted the band not too far from Pike’s Basin.

A streak of cream-colored hide and a flash of pearl-white mane and tail caught Jack’s eye amidst the tightly-woven bodies of horses. His sights homed in on the stallion of the band. The sunlight shimmered across the palomino’s coat; he was a fine animal, full of rippling muscle and the very essence of freedom itself.

Foam began to accumulate around the Dark Horse’s neck, withers, and sides, but Jack kicked him onward. His scarred steed flattened his ears to his head; his hooves pounded an incredible speed beneath him. The land around him sailed by as Jack rode closer and closer behind the palomino. As he drew nearer, he unfurled his lasso and, holding the reins with his left hand, he took up the lasso in his right and performed a few practice swings above his head, getting the feel of his lasso again after what seemed like so damn long ago. He swung the lasso faster, widening the loop. However, the palomino was still too far away for him to make a decent toss.

“Work, ya damn nag!” he roared down to his horse, kicking him harshly.

With another toss of his head, the Dark Horse angrily obeyed and galloped right behind the stallion. Aiming at the horse’s head, Jack took a few more swings before throwing the lasso at his target.

He was stunned when his aim met its mark. He secured his end of the rope by wrapping it four times around the saddle horn. He eased his sweating steed to a canter.

The palomino threw his head forward and tried desperately to gallop away, but his head was bent back by the lasso. The lasso grew dangerously taut by the horse’s sudden lunge, so Jack rode his horse behind the stallion, gradually slowing both the Dark Horse and the mustang down every hundred yards.

“Come on, slow down, you,” he called to the mustang as he pulled the Dark Horse back to a lope. The palomino continued to struggle, his golden coat shimmering with sweat and the whites of his eyes showing. “C’mon now, relax!”

Even when he pulled up the Dark Horse, the palomino still fought, rearing and flailing his head and front legs about in his struggle. The horse bellowed out squeals and grunts, snorting and blowing every so often. His ears were plastered back flat against his golden head; his brown eyes rolled about in their sockets, the whites plainly showing. His grey hooves tore up the ground, creating billowing clouds of dust.

Soon, the woman came loping up with her pinto mustang in tow. The filly still fought against the rope, tossing her head and bucking occasionally, but she followed nevertheless. “You got him?” She stopped her horse and the mustang twenty yards away, giving him and the stallion plenty of room.

“Y-Yeah,” Jack panted back, keeping his horse still as the mustang before him reared and flailed his front legs out desperately. He trumpeted a fearful neigh before landing back down and bucking.

“You certainly caught yourself a wild one, Jack. Are you sure you can handle this big boy?” Beneath her, Gypsy blew loudly and lowered her head. The mare’s sides were covered in sweat and her nostrils flared as she panted. Behind her, the mustang filly stood the same way.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Jack answered. “I just wish he’d hurry up and stop struggling. You’d think he would be tired by now.”

“He’s just scared is all. You would be, too, if you were in his position.”

He scoffed. “If I were in his position, I’d calm down and be done with it all.”

She shook her head. “No, you wouldn’t. If you were him and if it was me on the other end of that lasso, you’d be doing the same thing.”

He didn’t respond as he watched the palomino rear once more, tossing his pearl-colored mane and blazed muzzle about wildly. Jack shook his head, amazed by the magnificent beauty and stamina of the beast. “It’s like he doesn’t have a point of exhaustion. He just keeps going and going.”

“He’ll tire himself out, princess. Give it time. When he’s good and sweaty, we’ll walk these mustangs around for a bit, let them get used to being led, before we take them back to the ranch. That’s when the real work will begin.”

It was mid-day by the time they began the slow trek back to the ranch. They let their horses plod along at a slow walk as they pulled the mustangs along behind them. A surreal silence drifted between Jack and the woman. All that could be heard was the four sets of hooves that plodded along down the road, the occasional snort interrupting the monotony. Conversation wasn’t a necessity at the time. However, after two hours, the silence was ended when the woman looked over at the Dark Horse and spoke up.

“So, Jack, what’s your horse’s name? I don’t think you’ve ever mentioned it.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Umm…Horse…?”

She scoffed and looked at him with a quaint frown. “Oh, _that’s_ original. Why not just call him Red-Eyed Bastard?”

“That’ll work,” he agreed sarcastically, laughing at her response. He nodded to her black mare. “So, this is…Gypsy, right?”

She nodded.

“Where’d you come up with the name?”

“Don’t know. The name just came to me one day, and it just fit.” She motioned to the palomino he led with a jerk of her head and asked, “So what are you gonna name him?”

Jack rolled his eyes and gave an annoyed groan. “Must you women name _everything?_ ” He glanced back over his shoulder at the stallion, looking him over briefly, before facing forward and offered, “How ‘bout Trigger?”

“Pssh! What kind of a name is that?”

“Bullet?”

“Hell no.”

“Sunny?”

She glared at him, her chin tucked slightly. “That’s worse. You’re absolutely horrible at this, princess.”

He gave an angry sigh and tossed his head. “Well, why don’t _you_ name the son of a bitch then, since you’re so hell-bent on it?”

The plodding hoof falls permeated the silence between them as the woman pondered. She stared out ahead of them down the road, biting her lip in thought.

“How about…Sundance?”

“Good enough for me,” Jack grunted. He motioned to the filly she led with a nod. “So, what crazy sort of name are you gonna call her?”

She thought for a moment. “Féileacán.”

“What?”

“Féileacán. It means “butterfly” in Irish.”

Jack scoffed and looked away. “You and your names.”

“Well, at least they’re original, unlike Horse or Sunny.”

“Whatever. Do I really need to waste my time naming things?”

“Yes.”

“Whatever.”

An hour later, he and the woman rode onto MacFarlance’s ranch. They caught the attention of nearly every ranch hand as they rode to the horse corral. Jack recognized Eli Jones as he came rushing up to the corral gate and ushering them in.

“My, oh, My! Ya sho got some fine lookin’ hosses!” he exclaimed with a bright smile.

“Indeed, we do,” the woman replied with a smile and a tip of her hat. The black man rushed forward, skirting around the many horses that walked about in the corral, and opened the gate of the round pen. At long last, Jack and the woman took the lassos off the mustangs before they dismounted their horses.

“Lemme take ya hosses from ya,” Eli offered generously, holding out his gloved hands for their reins.

“Why, thank you, Eli,” the woman said with a grateful smile and handed him Gypsy’s reins. Jack followed suit, and the two watched as the black man led their mounts to the barn. Once the horses were out of sight, Jack and the woman turned and rested their elbows on top of the round pen and admired the horses they’d brought back home. The mustangs trotted about their pen, their ears swiveling about and their tails swishing as they searched for a way to escape.

Jack lifted his right boot up to rest it on the bottom board of the fence, sighing as he gazed the trembling beasts with a mixture of pity and awe. He felt a strange connection to them then as he watched them trot and lope around in the pen, churning up dust with their hooves and snorting nervously.

“Beautiful, aren’t they?” his supervisor murmured.

He nodded sadly. “It’s a shame that something so beautiful should be fenced in, though.” He looked away from the horses briefly to meet gazes with her.

“It is a shame, yes, but it is the way of things, Jack. In the end, we all get caged in our little way, sometimes by our own making. It happens to everyone. Freedom can be taken away just as easily as it can be granted, as you’ll soon find out—it can also be found in captivity.”

He gestured to the horses with a hand. “But these animals were born free. They didn’t have a say in their capture.”

“True. I can only hope that these two will grant us the opportunity to ride them. I hope that, in due time, these two will become fine working horses with great dispositions and great work ethic, so that when it comes time to sell them, they will be of good use to people who will honor them.”

Jack furrowed his brow. “What sort of foolish stuff are you saying, lady?”

She rolled her eyes. “They are gonna become cow ponies. We’re gonna tame them and sell them. Money is the goal here.”

Disgusted, Jack shook his head and leaned away from the round pen. He eyed the horses with pity before turning to leave.

“And guess who’s gonna be the one to do all that…”

He stopped dead in his tracks and looked back at her over his shoulder. “You’ve got to be joking.”

She shook her head as she turned to face him. “I’m not joking, princess.” She gestured to the mustangs with a wave of her hand. “This is your responsibility now, Jack. Starting tomorrow, these horses will be your next job. You will be taming these horses, and you will do this my way. I think you’ll come to enjoy this job. Through it, I think you’ll find the freedom you’ve been longing for these past few weeks.”

He shook his head. “No. I’m not breaking them.”

She scoffed and put her hands on her hips. “You’re not thinking the same as I am. You’re thinking of the traditional way of “breaking” horses. What I do is different and more effective. I don’t “break” horses, I _join up_ with them.”

“There it is again, this “joining up.” He walked up to her and crossed his arms. “What the hell is “joining up”, anyway? Is it some woman thing, or what?”

“I’ll show you everything I know, princess,” she replied, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Don’t get your britches in a bunch before the real work begins. Now, go get these poor horses some hay and water. Then you can get to your chores for the night before you turn in. We’ll let these two get a good feel of their surroundings before we start with ground work tomorrow.”


	4. Join Up

The lunge line and halter felt awkward in his hands. _What the fuck am I doing?_ His brow creased, and he frowned deeply. _This is stupid_. He looked up at the woman who had placed both objects into his hands.

She cocked an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest. “Well?”

“I’m not doin’ this.”

“You’ll do as you’re told, boy. Now get in there and work with him.”

“This is absolutely ridiculous, lady. The chances of me,” he paused to taste the foreign words on his tongue, “ _joining up_ with that horse is just--”

“Stop fucking around and get in the round pen, Marston.” She uncrossed her arms and put her hands on her hips. “Now!”

“I…”

“Yes?” she asked impatiently, shifting her weight from foot to foot.

“I…don’t have a clue what I’m doing, miss. I’ve never broken a horse like this. Pa just always showed me the way he knew.”

“You mean the cruel, sadistic way of tying up the horse’s legs with rope and yanking them out from underneath them so you can pin him down long enough to forcibly strap on a saddle and bridle and ride him till he bucks himself nearly to death?”

He nodded, wincing inwardly at her viciously accurate description. “I guess.”

“We’re _not_ “breaking” these horses, Mister Marston, let me make that _very_ clear to you. What I’m teaching you to do is different. Rather than forcing the horse into submission through torture and cruelty, you gain his trust and friendship through unification. You become his herd-mate, leader, and, most importantly, his friend.”

“Well, yeah, I understand that, but…” He ran a hand over his face, flustered. “But I don’t have a goddamned clue as to what I’m doing here. I don’t know the first thing about joining up.”

“That’s why I’m here. I’ll talk you through it, Jack.”

“And if I screw it up? It’s not like I’ve got a hell of a lot of experience.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” She sighed heavily and bowed her head, bringing up her right hand to pinch the bridge of her nose with her index finger and thumb. She took a moment to recollect herself before asking calmly, “Do you want me to demonstrate for you, princess?”

“Yes.”

“Fine, then. Get the stallion out of the round pen. I’ll drive the filly in there and show you how it’s done.”

Within ten minutes, they had driven the stallion into a smaller pen off to the side before replacing the filly in his stead. Once driven into the pen, the pinto loped about, frightened and looking for a way out. The woman let the mustang run about for a minute to let her become aware of her surroundings. During that time, Jack noticed a crowd of ranch hands had begun to gather around the pen; all eyes were fixed on the feisty horsewoman as she entered the pen with his lunge line and halter in hand.

Jack leaned his elbows on the top board of the round pen. He caught himself admiring her, especially when she took off her duster and hat so as not to spook the filly further. Her long waterfall of dark-brown hair flowed and swayed lazily behind her back as a light breeze began to blow.

He was surprised when she walked up to him and held out her things over-top the fence. “Hold these for me, and keep a sharp eye while I join up with Féileacán. You’re gonna be doing the same thing with Sundance here in a while, so pay attention and don’t doze off.”

He nodded dumbly as he draped her duster over his shoulder and held her hat by the crown. “Um…okay.” It sounded more like a question than a statement.

She took on an aura of aggression as she turned and faced the filly. She squared her shoulders and looked the mustang in the eyes. The filly looked back as she paced the fence across from her.

Her arm jerked forward in a vicious motion as she threw the end of the lunge line at the rump of the filly. The mustang shied away, kicking wildly at it. The woman lashed the line again, making the horse lope around the round pen. She intently watched the horse’s head, urging her on with the line whenever she slowed her gait. Both females kept their full focus on the other.

Five minutes into the ground work, Jack noticed the filly flick her closest ear towards the woman. She tossed her head and swished her tail. In response to this, the woman took a commanding step forward and threw the line in front of the filly, causing her to jerk to a stop, spin around, and lope in the opposite direction. She did this several times, making the filly jink to the right, then to the left, then right again, then back left. She worked the horse hard, making her dance about and understand that she was the one in charge.

Jack was growing bored and impatient after ten minutes of this. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, his knees creaking and his spurs jingling. _Okay…so what am I supposed to be getting? All she’s doing is making the horse run around her. That’s it. What’s the point in all this?_ Sighing, he spoke his thoughts, his voice holding an annoyed tone.

Without taking her eyes off the filly, the woman responded, “Keep watching. There’s a point to all this.”

“Such as?”

“What I’m doing right now is showing her I’m in charge. In the wild, the lead mare chases away colts and fillies whenever they do something wrong. She chases them away, roughly ‘bout a quarter of a mile, before she stops and stares at them, right in the eyes, and faces them fully, like what I’m doing.”

Jack grew confused. “But she didn’t do anything wrong, lady.”

She turned the horse around and made her run the other way with a swift, graceful flick of the lunge line. “I’m showing her that _I’m_ in charge, that _I’m_ gonna be her leader. Right now, I’m making her run that quarter of a mile. Right now, I’m the matriarch putting her in her place. Soon, she’ll show me her submissiveness, and when that happens, I’ll point that out to you. So keep watching.”

He found that hard to do, however, when his mind and eyes began to wander. He couldn’t help but notice how well his overseer’s clothing fit her curvy body, how her long hair sway behind her back and whip around her shoulders as she worked the horse. He shook his head to reset his focus.

“Ya doin’ all right, boy?” came a familiar voice to his left. Jack looked over and noticed Eli Jones had come up to him and was resting his elbows on the fence. He tipped his hat in greeting with a knowing smile spreading across his face.

“Yeah, I’m doin’ just fine.” He rested his left boot up on the bottom board of the fence, his spur singing out at the movement, and pretended to be intensely interested on the horsemanship the woman demonstrated.

“She sho knows her hosses,” the Negro commented softly.

Jack nodded, fearing where the conversation might go. “Yes, she does.”

The black man tapped his shoulder with the back of his hand. “Watch, I bet she gon join up with that hoss in ‘bout ten mo minutes er so. I betcha a dolluh, mistuh.”

Jack grinned. “I’ll take that bet. You’re on, old timer.”

The men shook hands; Eli took out his pocket watch and began timing it. Several minutes passed, and the woman still worked the horse around the pen. Just as Jack was getting bored once more and his eyes began to drift, Eli spoke up once again.

“So…”

“Yeah?”

“I gots another bet fo ya, boy, if ya willin’ ta hear it.”

Jack swallowed nervously. “Alright.”

“Well, I was gonna ask ya somethin’ first.”

“Come on, old man. Get to it already.”

He nudged his arm playfully and leaned in closer, murmuring in his ear, “So, when are ya gonna join up wit that perdy lil’ lady a yours?” He let out the booming, cackling laugh that everyone on the ranch had come to know and love.

Terrified and growing embarrassed, Jack punched the man’s arm and whispered harshly, “Shut up, Eli!” He looked about at the fair amount of men that grew curious. Usually when Eli was laughing at something, everyone else wanted to hear it.

“C’mon, boy, it’s only ten dolluhs. I betcha you gon fall fo her.”

“And I bet _you_ that I won’t!”

Eli gave a snicker, looking like a giddy schoolboy who had just discovered a fowl secret. “So ya gonna take up on that bet, then, boy?”

“I haven’t shaken on it, nor will I, mister,” Jack spat back, looking back at his overseer and the filly with furrowed eyebrows. “That bet ain’t worth the hassle.”

Eli shoved his shoulder gently with his. “Ah, c’mon, Jack. It’s not like I’m bettin’ a hundred dolluhs.” He offered a callused, inviting hand to him, his smile brightening.

Jack glared down at it with contempt, a furious battle raging within. _Goddamn it_. _This bastard’s got me in a bind._ “Who’s to say I want her, anyway?”

“Oh, I’m bettin’ that ya do. In fact, ya might as well gimme it right now.” Eli held out an expectant hand and waved his fingers at Jack, smiling gleefully.

“You ain’t _ever_ gettin’ my money, Eli. You can bet on that, mister.”

“We can only be sho if ya shake mah hand right now, boy.”

Jack sighed heavily as he shook Eli’s hand half-heartedly, feeling a sickening pit swell within his stomach. “You’re gonna lose that bet, old man. _You’ll_ be the one with a lighter wallet and a shameful heart, Eli, _not_ me.”

Eli merely beamed at him. “Oh, we’ll see, Mistuh Mawsten. We’ll see.”

With the deal struck, the men turned and resumed watching the skilled horsewoman work her magic in the round pen with the pinto mustang. Amidst his dread and humility, Jack noticed a change in the filly as she loped around the woman. With her closest ear still turned toward the horsewoman, she lowered her muzzle to the ground twice, licking her lips and making chewing motions.

“There!” the woman cried to Jack. “Right there is submissiveness.” Abruptly, she turned around, facing Jack and turning her back to the filly. She smiled knowingly at him and mouthed, “Watch.”

The filly slid to a stop. She swung her head toward the woman, ears pricked as she cautiously walked up behind her, bobbing her head down several times to the ground and chewing. The pinto stopped behind her and nudged her shoulder gingerly with her pink muzzle. In reward, the woman slowly turned back around, keeping her gaze away from the filly’s blue eyes that sought redemption and friendship. Carefully, she raised her left hand up, letting the horse get several good whiffs of her scent, before petting the pinto’s forehead in a circular motion.

The crowd of ranch hands surrounding them applauded and shook their heads, astounded by her success. With a smile, the woman turned and began walking around the pen; the filly followed like a dog.

Jack stared with open-mouthed awe. “My God…”

Eli shared the sentiment, shaking his head. “She really is a hoss whisperuh, I tell ya, boy.” He checked his pocket watch and smirked. He nudged Jack’s arm and showed him the time. “You owe me a dolluh, Jack, like I done told ya before.”

“You’ll have to take that up with Bonnie. She has my things.”

Eli nodded. “Sho ‘nuff, son.”

As she led the mustang around the pen, the euphony of clapping died down as she spoke, “You see, gentlemen? Patience, time, and respect is all it takes. There’s more than one way to do something, and taking the gentler way is often the better route when it comes to horses.” She stopped in front of Jack; the filly stopped as well, nuzzling her hand. With a grin, she petted the horse again graciously. “Good girl, Féileacán.” She turned her attention back to Jack. “Your turn, princess.”

He blinked. “What? Me? Now, in front of all these people?” His heart became clutched in the icy claws of trepidation; he took a step back from her.

She nodded as she slipped the halter cautiously onto the filly’s head. “It’s now or never, Jack. You and Sundance need to join up as soon as possible so you can start ground work with him.”

He bit down on his lower lip and looked to the side, unable to come up with a viable argument to stall with.

She cocked an eyebrow. “You _were_ watching, weren’t you?”

“Oh, he sho was a-watchin’ you, make no mistake ‘bout that, ma’am!” Eli let out a booming cackle, his upper body trembling from the giddy force, and he slapped Jack’s arm with the back of his hand as he turned and walked away, chuckling and guffawing all the while.

Jack watched him go with a seething gaze. _That slimy son of a bitch_. _I’ll get him back for that._

The woman watched all of this with a perplexed expression, and she shook her head dismissively at it all and murmured, “I don’t even want to know.” She turned and led the filly out of the round pen. Once outside, she pushed the horse’s rump, urging her to wander off in the corral that they all stood in. “Go on, Féileacán. Go explore. I’m done with you for the day.”

The filly warily took a few steps forward, casting uncertain looks back at her human partner.

“Go on, girl. We’ll continue tomorrow.” She shooed her away.

As if in complete understanding, the pinto swished her black and white tail before walking off toward the water trough for a refreshing drink.

The woman watched her newest pupil wander off with an affectionate twinkle in her eyes. She smiled softly before looking back at Jack and retrieving her things from him. She shrugged on her duster and tugged her hat back on. She looked at him with raised eyebrows and took a sassy stance, her weight on her left leg and her hands on her hips.

“What?” he asked.

“Go get the stallion and join up with him.” She held out the lunge line to him

He frowned as he took it from her. His fingers fiddled with the line, and he gave a despairing sigh before heading to where they had contained the palomino. The next ten minutes was spent trying to herd the stallion into the round pen. Jack and the woman, along with four other ranch hands, eventually drove him into the pen. The second he ran through the gate, it was closed and secured.

“Finally!” Jack panted, leaning up against the pen as he tried to catch his breath.

His overseer nodded and panted along with him. “And now…the real work begins.” She motioned to the palomino with a tired jerk of her head. “Get in there, Marston. It’s time you two joined up.”

He held up a hand as he tried to slow his breathing. “Gimme a minute.”

“Sure, but as soon as you’re back to normal, I don’t want you lollygaggin’ around anymore, Jack. You’ve already put this off for far too long as it is.”

He averted her piercing gaze.

“Princess, you listenin’ to me?”

“I hear you. It’s just…Well, I’m…”

“Scared?”

He shot her a nasty look. “No.”

“Pssh! Don’t lie to me, ya little sunflower. Now put on your big boy britches and go in there and work with him.”

“Alright, alright, I’m goin’!” Angrily, he hefted up the lunge line, brought himself up with forced confidence, and opened the gate. He slipped in quietly and closed the gate behind him.

The stallion slid to a stop the second he walked into the pen. The mustang’s eyes locked onto his; his nostrils flared and his ears pricked forward. Human and horse sized each other up from opposite ends of the round pen. All around, the ranch hands gathered, watching intently to see which one would initiate the battle of masculinity. Jack glanced at the men, then at his supervisor. His heart fluttered. Swallowing thickly, he looked back at the stallion, shouldered the halter, and gathered the lunge line in his hands.

_Okay…Here goes nothing._

He lashed the end of the line at the stallion’s rump, attempting to come off as aggressive and commanding as his overseer did when she demonstrated with the filly earlier. He knew that even as he did it, it ended up looking rather ridiculous, laughable even. He felt his cheeks burn as he gathered the rope back up again in his hands. He watched the stallion trot loftily away, only to stop and stand still before him with one ear cocked back, as if to say, “Really? Is that all you got?”

 _Well, shit._ His eyebrows narrowed with forced determination as he threw the rope out at the stallion again.

“That’s it, princess,” the woman cheered behind him. “Square your shoulders. Look him in the eyes and mean it, boy. _You_ are his leader now, so show him that!”

Her words sparked a flame of tenacity in Jack’s chest, and he flicked the rope at the palomino, puffing out his chest and squaring his shoulders. The stallion responded by shying away with a kick and an angry toss of his head.

“Good! Now, get him to run around the pen. Use your rope and your body language to force him around.”

Again, he lashed out at the horse, glaring at him in the eyes and taking a commanding step forward.

The horse loped away from him, going around the pen once…before suddenly turning and charging toward him with mouth open wide and ears pinned back flat again his head. Jack barely had time to shy to the side to avoid being trampled. He countered the attack by smacking the horse’s side with the rope, making him side-kick powerfully by the tickling touch.

“That’s it, boy! Dance with him!” one of the ranch hands encouraged.

Several other men joined in with their own cheers. His confidence building, Jack lashed the rope at the horse again. The mustang loped around the pen. His ears were still flat against his head; his eyes still held a wild, angry look. Every three or four passes, he made the horse change direction, emulating his overseer’s technique. Occasionally, he charged at Jack, but the young man would jump to the side and respond with more flicks of the rope. Both horse and man could feel the tension and anger build as time went on.

Half-way around the pen, the palomino suddenly turned and charged, sprinting toward Jack and flailing his front hooves out toward his chest. Jack backpedaled wildly. The stallion reared up high before he drove his front hooves down at the human’s head.

“Jack! Get out of there! NOW!” the woman shouted.

He barely had time to turn and dive underneath the fence before the large grey hooves stomped on the ground where he had stood. The ground trembled as Jack crawled underneath the fence to safety on the other side. Behind him, the palomino pawed at the ground. Several ranch hands pulled him up to his feet. Panting, encumbered, and angry, Jack shrugged off their hands and stood up straight, trying to retain whatever dignity he had left.

“Are you all right, Jack?” his overseer asked. She looked him over, checking for any serious injuries.

He averted her concerned gaze and dusted himself off.

“Jack?”

“I’m fine, damn it!” He glared around at the three men who circled him. “Leave me be, all of you!”

“You almost got killed, boy,” one of them stated. “Are you sure you’re¾”

“I’m just fine, alright? Now fuck off, the lot of you!”

The men walked away, casting angry glances at the rude young man.

“What the hell was that?” his overseer demanded. She gestured to the men leaving. “They were just worried for your well-being, Jack! You didn’t have to be a prick to them!” She put her hands on her hips and gave him an admonishing glare.

Jack looked at her briefly, crossing his arms in response to her aggression. “Why the fuck do you care? And why do _they_ care, for that matter? I’m just the criminal bastard who’s slaving away here, so what’s all the fuss about me being the center of attention all of the sudden? I’ve had enough of this bullshit from everyone! I don’t need bein’ pitied or looked at like a kid.”

“Those men were _helping_ you, Jack! She shook her head, appalled. “God forbid people ever help you and be nice to you.”

“Well, you sure as hell didn’t help me in there when that crazy son of a bitch was trying to trample me.”

“You were doin’ just fine, as far as I could tell.”

He scoffed and glared off into space.

She sighed and ran a hand across her face. “Do you want to try joining up again?”

He snapped his attention back toward her. “After what that fuckin’ horse tried to do to me, do you _really_ think I wanna--”

 _“FINE!”_ the woman roared, throwing her hands down at her sides. “If _you’re_ too much of a chicken shit, then _I’ll_ do your job for you, you coward!”

“No, you won’t,” came a familiar voice off to the side.

Turning away from the start of a nasty stare-down, the two looked over and saw Bonnie walking up to them. Jack felt himself visibly shrink in the presence of the strong-willed woman. He couldn’t bear to look her in the eyes as she came to stand before them and crossed her arms.

“This is _his_ job, like you said. So, let him join up with the horse. He needs to do this.”

“But he almost got killed, Miss MacFarlane!” the woman pointed out.

“That’s because he didn’t put on his bastard-scowl he usually has on his face.” She looked Jack over and shook her head. “What happened?”

Jack waved viciously at the stallion and exclaimed, _“He almost killed me!_ I tried to do just what your friend here told me to do, and the insane animal _still_ tried to run me over. What the fuck was I supposed to do? Just stand there and let him stomp me into the ground like a horse fly?”

She slapped him across the face. “You keep yelling at me like that and I’ll throw you into your cell to rot away for all time. Now calm the hell down.”

He stood glaring at her, his face stinging. His hands clenched into tight, shaking fists at his sides, but he held his tongue.

“Now, I want you to try again, Jack, and this time, you’re going to join up with that mustang. Be a man about it, too. You got that?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he growled through clenched teeth. He snatched up the lunge line and halter off the ground beside his boots—he had dropped them in his haste to flee from the horse. With a deep inhale, he opened the gate and stepped back into the pen, feeling like an injured warrior going back into the fray. Despite his wounded pride, bruised body, and raging anger, he walked forward with his chin raised and his shoulders squared. He glanced back at Bonnie and his overseer.

“Go on, princess. Show him who the _real_ boss is.”

“And if he tries to kill me again?” he scoffed back.

“Just be your usual, cocky, prick-headed self and you’re sure to succeed.”

Jack glared at her. “Thanks for the encouragement.”

She shrugged nonchalantly. “I do what I can, Jack.” Beside her, Bonnie gave an amused chortle.

With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, Jack turned and faced the stallion. Once again, the stallion stopped and faced him. “Alright, you crazy bastard. Let’s dance.” He threw the end of the lunge line at the horse with a stronger level of confidence.

The horse spooked and galloped around the pen. Both males stared into each other’s eyes, waiting for the other to back down. Jack kept his body square and facing the stallion. No longer would he be pushed around by this animal, or by the terrible hand that life had dealt him. No longer would he be the push-over little boy who let everything walk over him as they pleased. He would stand his ground and let it be known that he was a man worth taking a glance over and be recognized for who he was. And he’d start with this stallion.

All around the pen, the ranch hands, Bonnie, and the woman stared at the bold change in the angry young man. Jack paid no attention to them; his focus was fully on the palomino. The horse would lunge at him every so often, flattening his ears and opening his mouth, but he would turn when Jack took a dominative step forward and threw the line straight at the horse’s face. The horse reared several times, taken aback by the young man’s declarative leadership, and slowly, the stallion’s rebelliousness waned and was replaced by fear. He was growing leaderless, and the only thing around to guide him was the man standing in the middle of the round pen.

And it was then, among the astounded, pious silence, that the stallion finally gave in. He turned his closest ear to Jack. At last, his proud head lowered, and he licked his lips and chewed. Jack turned around, his gaze kept to the ground with the lunge line dangling loosely from his hand at his side. He heard the horse slide to a stop and turn to him. The hesitant, timid hoof falls becoming louder became a sweet medley to Jack’s ears. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes when he felt the mustang’s soft muzzle caress his hand and nicker questioningly. Jack faced the horse and petted his forelock and muzzle, just as his overseer had done with the filly. He smiled, not believing his success. The horse stood before him quietly before his new leader.

Applause erupted all around him and the stallion. Jack’s heart swelled with pride, and he looked around at the men who cheered and gave him accepting nods. It wasn’t just his join-up with the stallion, it was the join-up of the people who watched him work and struggle for the past two and a half weeks. Smiling, his eyes fell on Bonnie and her friend. The women nodded and returned the smile. He shared a long stare with his overseer; for the first time, she looked at him as she would a ranch hand, a man worthy of her respect.

Turning, he walked away from the horse, following the well-beaten path the animal had trodden. The palomino fell into step behind him; he stopped when Jack halted before Bonnie and his supervisor.

“Well? What do you think?”

His supervisor smirked. “Very good, Jack. Well done.”

“Your father would have been proud of you,” Bonnie said.

Jack smiled at them and said, “Thank you.” And he meant it for the first time.

 

*             *             *

 

The smoke coiled upwards, encasing his head in nicotine heaven. Jack couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a cigarette, and now as he smoked alongside his overseer on the front porch of Bonnie’s ranch house, it was a glorious end to the day. He stood leaning against the railing, his back resting against one of the posts. He held the cigarette between his index finger and thumb and took a long drag, savoring the taste and enjoying the tingling high he felt in his brain and on his tongue. He let the smoke blow out of his lips with a pleased sigh.

“How’s that tastin’ for ya, Jack?”

He looked down at her with a grateful smile. “It’s tastin’ _damn_ good, miss. Thank you.”

“Good.” She sat in the rocking chair, her boots propped up on the railing beside him. A thick cigar rested in her left hand; the end glowed and spat tendrils of smoke as she wrapped her full lips around it and took several slow puffs. She let the smoke roll lazily out of her mouth afterwards, caressing her face before dissipating into nothing above her head.

Jack watched her, fascinated. Only when she glanced up at him did he abruptly turn and stare out at the plains, making it seem like he was lost in thought. He took another drag and blew the smoke out in a rapid exhale.

Unexpectedly, the woman sighed as she flicked the stem of ash from the tip of her cigar.

Jack looked down at her, an eyebrow cocked. “You all right?”

She looked up at him. “What?”

“Is _Your Royal Highness_ tired after a day of actual hard work?” He smiled slyly with the cigarette in his mouth. “Ya feelin’ a little outta shape, lady?”

“Well, seeing as I have to show you how everything’s done, I suppose I am, you ignorant little bastard.” She shook her head. “Hell, this is a sort of a nice reprieve for me. Still, I’d rather be working alongside the ranch hands and bringing in bounties than guiding you through every little chore. I’m tired of babysitting.” She took a reflective puff and looked at him with a sassy flash of her eyebrows.

He rolled his eyes. “Oh, come off it, lady. You’re enjoying every damn minute of your vacation.”

“Perhaps, but I still have to show you how to do your job.”

He inhaled deeply on the cigarette and blew the smoke out of his nose. “Hey, I was able to do what you asked. Sundance and I are joined up, just like you wanted. I’d say I did a good job.”

She laughed. “If you mean by almost getting killed in the process, then yeah, I’d say you’ve done a good job.”

“I held my own against that crazy horse. Sure, it took a couple of tries, but I did what you told me to do.” He put his cigarette back into his mouth as he added, “And I think I did quite well for a first-timer.”

“All men think they’re great their first time,” she chuckled darkly, eyes ablaze with humor.

He stared down at her. “What did you say?”

“Nothing,” she murmured as she put the cigar back into her mouth. She took three strong puffs before letting the smoke coil about her face and slither up into the air.

Her pun stunned him; he never would have guessed she’d joke about such un-ladylike things. _But then again, she’s far from being a lady_. He studied the way her lips held the cigar, how her fingers casually held it.

“Where’d you learn to smoke cigars?”

She glanced at him, her lips wrapped around the cigar. “My uncle,” she said around it before taking a long, deep puff, and blowing the smoke out angrily. “Why do you ask?”

“I…It’s just that…I’ve never seen a woman smoke a cigar before. So…did he teach you a lot of other manly things?”

She pretended not to hear him as she smoked.

“Miss?” He took a step closer and looked her over.

She threw him a warning glare, making him take a step back with his hands raised non-threateningly.

“Okay, sorry. I was just askin’ a question is all.”

“Where’d _you_ learn to smoke cigarettes?”

“My pa used to smoke,” he explained, cocking an eyebrow at her sudden hostility, “but I don’t smoke as much as he did.”

She studied the cigar in her hand. “I see,” she said before taking another puff.

“By the way, thanks for this,” Jack murmured, holding up the cigarette. He flicked the collecting stump of ash from the tip over the side of the railing. He watched it fall heavily to the dirt, disintegrating into a small grey pile. “It’s been quite a long while since I’ve had one.”

“No problem.”

He glanced down at her. “Why _did_ you give me this, anyway?”

“The better you behave, the more rewards you receive, Marston.”

He scoffed. “A reward system, huh? What am I, a dog?”

“In a manner of speaking, yes.”

He rolled his eyes.

“Your next reward will be the finest whiskey you’ve ever tasted in your life. It’ll go down smoother than a drink from the waterfall in Tall Trees. I guarantee it, princess.”

His eyebrows rose at this; an excited grin lit up his face. “Really now?”

She nodded. “But only if you keep up the hard work and do as I say. And if you keep showin’ me, and other people, respect.”

He shook his head and chuckled. “That’ll be easier said than done, miss.”

Her lips curved into an amused smirk. “Oh, trust me, I know. You’ll be like Sundance was today, just a-fightin’ back the whole time until I put you in your place…again and again and again.”

“Damn right.”

Her long dark hair caught the light of the moon and stars beautifully, reflecting the creamy-white light in its silky, shining blanket. He stared on as she switched her cigar to the other hand. She ran her fingers through her hair before tucking her hand underneath it and draped it over her right shoulder. Her hair cloaked her shoulder and breast, exposing her graceful neck and collarbone.

His eyes fixated on her, taking in as much detail of her as quickly as possible. He took a prolonged inhale of his cigarette to calm his racing pulse. He watched her take three quick puffs before one last, long drag. She closed her eyes as she let the smoke billow out past her partially-parted lips and up to frame her face. Jack shifted his weight from foot to foot, his boots thudding loudly and spurs tinkling. She slowly turned her head and looked up at him. The smoke drifted away, revealing to Jack a perplexed, if not perturbed, look on her face as she narrowed her eyes.

“You get a good look yet, cowboy?”

He faced forward, clenching at the rail with a tense grip. He felt his face flush, and he cleared his throat. He could feel her patronizing gaze upon him.

“God, what _is_ it with men and staring? It’s like their eyes are magnetically drawn to a woman’s body.”

“Hey, I wasn’t staring,” he retorted, refusing to look over at her. “And men don’t do that.”

“Bullshit! You were doin’ it just now.”

“No, I wasn’t. I was—”

“Gawking,” she finished, glaring up at him. “Now quit that shit before I give you a scar on your neck from my spurs.” The moonlight glinted off her spurs as she rotated her feet to show them to him.

He scoffed. “Oh, you and your Mexican tattoo threats. They never get old to you, do they?”

“Hell no.”

“…I wasn’t staring, Miss…uh…”

“Call me Maddie,” she said around her cigar as she puffed.

“M-Maddie?”

She nodded. “Short for Madeline, but don’t you _dare_ call me by my full name. If you do, I won’t hesitate to clip you with my spurs. Keep that in mind, princess.”

He looked away, still in awe. _What a beautiful name…_

“And yes, you were staring, Marston.”

He tossed a hand up in frustration as he faced her. “I’ve never seen a woman smoke a cigar! _That’s it!”_ Fed up with her, he sucked angrily on his cigarette, feeling the soothing rush of tobacco enter him and calm his riled-up nerves. Despite this, he frowned as he looked back down at her. Once again, he was staring. He sighed.

_Damn it, Eli…_


	5. Horse Thief

For what seemed like the hundredth time that day, Jack fell hard to the ground in a heap of clothes and dirt. It was only two weeks ago that he had started to tame the palomino stallion, and although he had finally gotten the saddle and bridle onto the mustang, he was finding it hard to stay in the saddle. Once again, he gathered himself up off the ground and dusted himself off, spitting out chunks of churned-up earth.

“C’mon, princess! Ya almost had it!” Maddie complained from atop her tamed tobiano filly. She had Féileacán accepting the bit by the fifth day, and the rest of the tack by the seventh. By the eighth, she was riding the filly with confidence. “You were so close! What happened, boy?”

He grunted as he limped up to her. “It’s not my fault Sundance isn’t takin’ too well havin’ me on his back. He’s a spirited bastard.”

She rolled her eyes. Beneath her, Féileacán blew loudly and pawed at the ground, looking rather bored. Maddie patted her neck and ran her fingers through her black and white mane. “He’s just scared is all. You gotta go at the speed of the horse, Jack. How many times do I gotta tell you?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Get off my back, lady.”

She guffawed. “I wouldn’t want to be on yours, scumbag.”

He shot her an annoyed frown. “Don’t play with me, Maddie. I’m not in the mood and today just isn’t a good day for your little antics.”

“I’ll say. You’ve been bucked off at least seven times, and it’s not even ten o’clock yet. Féileacán didn’t even buck me off once.”

“That’s because you picked an easy one out of the herd!” he shouted back, still favoring his left leg as he turned and hobbled over to Sundance, who was trotting about on the other side of the corral. The palomino’s ears were pinned back flat against his head, and he snorted and brought up his head as the young man approached. “Oh, stop that, you big bastard,” he griped as he grabbed the reins and crisscrossed them atop the horse’s withers. “Now you stop bein’ a dipshit and let me get on without a fuss, alright?”

“Yeah, sweet-talk him, Jack. _That’ll_ help.”

“Would you stop bitchin’ already?” He jammed his left boot into the stirrup and grabbed the saddle horn and cantle.

“Only if you cowboy up and ride that horse like a real man, Marston.”

A frustrated growl rumbled up his throat as he mounted the stallion for the eighth time that day. Steadily, Sundance had gotten used to him getting onto the saddle, but the second he’d nudge his sides with his spurs, the horse would buck wildly. Jack had tried clicking his tongue to get the horse walking forward, but to no avail. The horse was responsive mostly to touch: even the slightest nudge of his spurs would send the horse launching into the air. Readying himself for the rodeo that was sure to come, Jack nudged the mustang’s sides with his heels.

Sure enough, the palomino responded with angry bucking. A horrible grunting, growling sound came from the horse as he bucked all about the corral. Jack did his best to move along with the horse’s body, leaning back every time the horse’s front hooves would land and then leaning forward when he’d launch himself upward again. Sundance bucked high and strong, and the power of the horse’s launch was quickly tiring Jack out. He was already beat up and bruised from the previous throws, and his strength and determination was beginning to wane.

“That’s it, Jack! Keep on him! Move with him!”

Her encouragements helped him despite her annoying backtalk from most of the morning. He rode the bucking bronco with all the gusto and skill he could muster, and after several minutes, the horse came to a stand-still. Both horse and rider were huffing and puffing, their bodies shaking and glistening with sweat. Jack patted Sundance’s lathered neck. “That a boy. See? That wasn’t so bad, now, wasn’t it?”

Maddie rode up to the males with a proud smile. She stopped Féileacán before Sundance. The tobiano nickered to the palomino, her ears pricked forward and her muzzle nudging the other horses’ gingerly. Sundance returned the touch and whickered in response.

“See, Jack?” Maddie said. “You finally decide to cowboy up, and look what happened? You got that horse to take your weight. That wasn’t so bad, now was it?”

He stared at her with wide-eyed disbelief. “Are you kiddin’ me? I’m sore as hell, and I’m sure he is, too! He’s put me through a lot of shit today that I would’ve rather not have wanted to go through.”

“Oh, bitch and moan, bitch and moan, Marston! You’re just not used to real work is all.”

“DON’T lecture me about “real work”, woman.” He paused to catch his breath. “While you’ve been sittin’ there on your so-called high horse—even though she’s the puniest fuckin’ thing I’ve ever seen in my life—I’ve been gettin’ jostled about on top of this big stud like a sparrow in a thunderstorm! He’s no Sunday joyride, lemme tell ya! Hell, I bet you’d get thrown off not even eight seconds into it, with how tiny you are and how strong he is.”

“If you would’ve been thrown off again, I might’ve…if only to prove my point of you not bein’ used to real work. You think _this_ horse was a tough one? You should’ve been there when I was taming Gypsy! Talk about a spirited animal! She threw me off I don’t know how many times, but I kept coming back for more. Pa and I had never seen a more powerful beast than her out in the wild.”

“You’re so full of it, Maddie. You’re just tryin’ to play up your story to prove a point—I can see right through your bullshit.”

Her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits of determination and anger. “If I weren’t as loving toward horses, I’d order you to get off Sundance so I could show you how it’s done. But since I’m not that mean, I’ll just leave you to take the benefit of the doubt and believe me. Someday soon, Marston, I’ll prove you wrong on this subject, like I’ve proved so many other men wrong countless times.”

“Sure thing, Miss Maddie,” he replied with a roll of his eyes. “But until such day comes, I’ll be doubting you every step of the way, just as I always have been.”

“Oh, please. I’ve seen you gawk at me many times over in wonder, usually when I was showing you how to tame this stallion on Féileacán. And not just when we’re at work…”

He looked down at the saddle horn and busied himself by adjusting his seat in the saddle. Sundance flicked his ears back flat against his golden head in response to this, and Jack patted him reassuringly on the neck. “Easy, boy. Don’t go all crazy on me again.”

“I think he’s done fighting, Jack. He looks tired. Now walk him around the corral. Work him through neck-reining like I showed you, and get him to trot and lope, too. We want to work him when he’s tired, when he’s not as feisty and more compliant.”

He slumped in the saddle. “I’m exhausted, lady.”

“Tough shit, Marston. Work your horse. It’s now or never.”

With a tired grumble, Jack reined the mustang around and squeezed his heels to the horse’s sides. Sundance walked around the corral with his head held low. After a minute or so, Jack urged him to a trot, then to a lope, and eventually to a gallop around the pen. Maddie sat atop the tobiano in the middle of the pen, watching.

“Keep your back straight, Jack, and your heels down. Relax, for Christ’s sake!”

“I know how to ride, damn it! Stop lecturing me!”

“You’re stiffer than a board in the saddle, boy, and it’s making Sundance irritable. Just look at his body language: his ears are back and he’s givin’ you the snake-eye. If your goal is to get close with the horse and understand him, you gotta feel his gait and move along with him. It’s smoother for both of you, so concentrate on that horse.”

Grumbling and too tired to argue, he did as he was told. Her words held true; he found Sundance’s rhythm as he galloped, and once he felt himself slip into it, the ride was unbelievably smooth. The transition between gaits became a natural flow as he slowed him down back to a walk and eventually stopped him before Maddie and Féileacán. Beneath him, Sundance blew loudly.

“Well? You happy yet?”

“Don’t use that tone with me, you bastard,” Maddie warned, giving him a warning scowl. “And no, you’re still gonna work with him. Only until you two get comfortable with each other will I tell you to stop.” She ushered him onward with a wave of her hand. “Now go on.”

He gave a despairing groan and tilted his head back. “Oh, for the love of God! Are you _trying_ to kill me and Sundance?”

“Stop being a woman and do as you’re told, princess.”

“Coming from a woman, that’s not much of a threat.”

“That may be true, but I’m more of a woman than you can even dream to handle. I’m manlier than you, too.”

He scoffed and walked Sundance back to the edge of the corral. “I highly doubt that. If that were true, you’d have a thicker mustache than me.”

“You call _that_ a mustache?” she demanded with a hearty chortle. “It’s more like a caterpillar!”

He glared maliciously at her as Sundance walked closer to her as they rounded the pen. “Hey, at least I’m man enough to grow facial hair.”

“More like peach fuzz…or the hair on a horse’s ass.”

“Excuse me?” Jack demanded, yanking back on the reins and jerking Sundance to a stop. The horse flicked his ears back and tossed his head.

A sly half-grin graced her lips as she met gazes with him. “You heard me. And with that little bush you call a goatee, I’d say you’ve barely peaked puberty.”

“Ya know, I’ve just about had enough of your shit for one day,” he grumbled as he nudged Sundance on. The horse responded with a swish of his tail and another toss of his head.

“Give that horse his head. And quit jarring the bit in his mouth.”

“Oh, shut up. I’m handlin’ him just fine.”

“Give that horse the respect he deserves, or _I’LL_ kick your ass _for_ him.”

“I’d like to see you try,” he jested. He urged the horse into a trot.

“Get off that horse and I’ll show you how easy it is to drop you with one punch.”

“Good luck with that.” To test her, he stopped Sundance beside Féileacán and dismounted.

She blinked. “What are you doing?”

He beckoned her to dismount. “You say you can beat me in a fight, so come prove it.”

She was momentarily taken aback, but she quickly masked her surprise and gave an unimpressed nod. “Alright, Marston. You’re on.” She dismounted gracefully.

He scoffed as she walked around the horses and stood before him, her hands on her hips. “You’re actually following through with this? Wow! I would’ve thought you’d be too much of a yellow-belly to face me.”

“I’ve got more balls than most men have in their pants, and if they think they can talk up some bold words to back their packages up, then let ‘em try. Men try to play themselves up. It’s all for show for most of ‘em, and when things get physical, most tuck their tails between their legs and run.” She nodded to him and flashed her eyebrows. “I figured you’ll be just the same.”

His eyebrows narrowed dangerously. “That’s where you’re wrong, Maddie.”

She spread out her arms before her, calling his bluff. “Then come prove it to me, or are you too much of a chicken-shit?”

He threw back his head and guffawed. “Well, isn’t this just somethin’! A little girl who thinks she can beat up a man! What a load of¾”

He was tackled to the ground before he could finish his sentence. Before he knew it, she had pinned him down with both hands grasping his wrists in a tight, vice-like grip and one knee pressing down hard on his chest. The wind had been painfully knocked out of him, and as he lay there struggling to breathe, he stared up into her savvy brown eyes in shock.

“Ya see, Jack? You’re just another man who’s all talk and no show. What do ya know…”

Her face was an inch away from his, and even though his anger had begun to boil over, his heart still pounded in his chest at the proximity of her. “Get the fuck off me.”

She opened her mouth to shoot back a jest.

“If you two are quite done screwing around, I’d like to talk to you, if it’s not too much trouble,” came a hard, feminine voice from outside the pen. “God forbid you two ever get any work done around here without trying to out-best each other in some foolish game.”

Jack and Maddie looked over and blushed when they caught Bonnie glaring at them from behind the gate, right beside the stable. She leaned against the building with an unimpressed frown and her arms crossly curtly across her chest, her right leg crossed over her left. Maddie let up on her grip, giving Jack the opportunity to free himself and push her roughly off him. They stood and brushed themselves off, trying to busy themselves as they worked through their embarrassment.

“I tell you two to go work with these mustangs, and here I find you laying on the ground and staring at each other like a buncha love-struck rattlesnakes sunning themselves in the desert.” Bonnie shook her head and entered the corral, slamming the gate behind her.

Maddie grew rigid with outrage. “Don’t pull that bullshit on me, Bonnie. I was just puttin’ this bastard in his place. He thought he could best me in a fight, so I proved him wrong. That’s all there was to it.”

She walked up to them and rested her weight on one leg, her hips jutting out to the side in a saucy way. She cocked an eyebrow. “Not from where I was standin’, Madeline.” She looked from her to Jack and back again. “If I see you two horsin’ around one more time, I’ll throw saddles on both of you and work you like the animals you are. Is that understood?”

“Yes, ma’am,” they chorused, casting criticizing glares at each other.

“Good. Now, Maddie, I need you to go to Armadillo today, preferably before noon, and go get supplies. We’re runnin’ low on quite a lot of things.” She dug into her breast pocket and withdrew a folded sheet of paper. She handed it to Maddie. “Everything we need is on that list.”

Maddie accepted the list and opened it, skimming down the page and nodding. “Yes, Miss MacFarlane. I can do this for you.”

“You are _such_ a kiss-ass,” Jack grumbled, rolling his eyes.

Maddie shot him a warning look. “Shut your yippus, you piece of trash! I ought to wring your filthy little neck!”

“Enough, you two!” Bonnie shouted. The youngsters fell silent before her, but not before glowering hatefully at each other like a cat and a dog.

“So are you goin’ along with me, or what’s the plan here?” Maddie asked.

“No, you go on ahead. Take Eli or Bill or somebody with you, though. I know you can handle a gun, Maddie, but I would just feel safer if you took someone else along with to help out in case the wagon gets attacked.”

To prove a point, the young woman withdrew her pistol in a flash. “Not if I can help it. Bring on the nastiest sons-a-bitches there are. I’ll take ‘em all on.”

Jack tilted back his head with a groan. “Oh, please. I can see you bein’ a pansy and cowerin’ in the wagon at the first sign of danger.”

Bonnie silenced him with a scowl before looking back at Maddie. “Be back before nightfall, and stay outta trouble, ya hear? I know you’re quite the gunslinger, but please, for the love of God, don’t go shootin’ around like Marston here. You don’t wanna end up gettin’ thrown in jail like he was.”

The women shared amused smirks. Maddie nodded and said, “Sure thing, miss.” She grew concerned when she motioned to Jack with a jam of her thumb and added, “But what about him? Who’s gonna watch over this slippery bastard while I’m gone?”

A dark twinkle entered Bonnie’s blue eyes. “Leave that to me.”

“Say no more, Miss MacFarlane.” She walked around her and, pausing in her stroll towards the barn, patted her on the shoulder and added, “Just do me a favor and give him hell while I’m gone. Don’t ease up on him while I’m out runnin’ some little errand for you.”

Bonnie gave her a reassuring smile. “Oh, don’t you worry ‘bout that, Maddie. I’ll keep him just as miserable while you’re away.” She glanced over at Jack with a wink; Jack sighed and visibly sagged.

Maddie tipped her hat to her friend and boss. “I would’ve hoped for nothing less, Bonnie. See ya tonight!” With nothing more to say, she turned and jogged out of the corral, not even bothering to open the gate but instead climbed skillfully up and over the fence before she continued over to the barn.

Bonnie turned back to Jack and crossed her arms, looking at him expectantly. “Well? What’re you doin’ standin’ there starin’ after her? Get back on that horse and work with him, boy.” She grabbed Féileacán’s reins and patted the filly’s neck.

With a grumble, he acquiesced and mounted back up. A tired sigh escaped from the horse and, without Jack’s ushering, walked on. He urged the horse into a lope, skipping the smooth transitions of gaits that he had previously experienced with his horse. The palomino jerked forward into a stuttering lope, his ears laid back flat and his tail swishing in response to his spurs.

“Don’t jab him, Jack! It’s like you _want_ to draw blood with them things!”

“I barely touched him, Bonnie. You’re just lookin’ for somethin’ to criticize me over.”

“Well, how can I not? You make it so easy, Marston.”

He harrumphed and rolled his eyes. Fed up with her, he redirected his focus to the horse that moved smoothly beneath him. For several minutes, he stared down at the cream-colored, flowing mane and shimmering, muscular pearl neck.

“Ya gonna run him to death, boy?”

Jack yanked on the reins, making Sundance toss his head as he came to a stop.

Bonnie shook her head and frowned. “He doesn’t take too well to the bit, or to your spurs. Poor thing.”

“Well, it’s not my fault he’s such a touchy horse. Besides, I’ve been working with him for two weeks straight, and he finally let me on his back today. Sure, he bucked me off seven times, but he’s finally letting me ride him. He’s been fighting with me since day one.”

“That’s because you’re forcin’ him into somethin’ he’s not comfortable with. To be a good horseman, you must be a good listener, and you _must_ go at the pace the horse is comfortable with. Rushing things only spells disaster for both of you. He almost killed you a week ago because you were rushin’ him and weren’t givin’ him release.”

“Your advice is so thoughtful.” He gave a surprised yelp when Sundance half-reared and tossed his head, side-stepping and swishing his tail about. He kept reins taut until the horse landed back down on all fours and pawed at the ground. He patted and stroked the horse’s neck and mane. “Easy, boy. Whoa.”

“Just keep talking to him, Jack. He’ll get used to it all with your help.”

“I know what I’m doin’, Bonnie. I can ride.”

“Yeah, you know how to ride in an authoritative, dominative way. The bond between horse and rider should be a mutual partnership, not slave and master.”

Jack threw her a nasty look. “You should practice what you preach, Miss MacFarlane. I’ve been here at your ranch for about a month, and I’ve been bustin’ my ass and bein’ nothing but a slave to you.”

“It’s for a good reason, boy,” she shot back, folding her arms tightly. “Your behavior of late has to be rectified.”

“Such smart words come from your mouth. The way you’re talking, I’d take you for a lawyer or a judge of some sort.” He scoffed. “You and Maddie are so damn alike, you might as well be twins.”

She shrugged nonchalantly, a proud grin forming on her thin lips. “We’re educated, hard-working women. Women are forced to work twice as hard to measure up to men. So we do, and we do it well. And Maddie and I share the same morals and values…well, most of the time.”

“Like what?” he asked, adjusting himself in the saddle. “Be more manly than a man himself? Maddie sure as hell enjoys achieving that goal.”

She glared up at him. “I watched her show you up, boy. I’d watch what you say if I were you.”

“Well, what do you two _not_ have in common? You’re practically the same in my eyes, except she’s more…violent.”

“Well, for one, she and I differ on our views of marriage. She thinks it’s a waste of time, a way to keep her and every other woman in check. I don’t think that: I’m married, after all.”

He sat up in the saddle. “Yeah, where is Nathaniel? I never see him anymore. How’s he doin’?”

A pang of disappointment and hurt settled into her gaze as she looked down at Sundance’s grey hooves. “He’s doin’ good, I suppose. He’s much too busy keepin’ up the ranch, well, with the paperwork and finances. He’s usually nose-deep in bookkeeping and goes to Blackwater a lot dealin’ with other sort of documents that I couldn’t quite put my finger in edge-wise. I’m more of a physical-labor gal; he’s a business-man…Well, he’s become that sort lately.” She shook her head. Her eyes gleamed over as she became lost in her memories. “He used to be such an outdoorsman. After I took over the ranch, he’s been absorbed in books and words and paper. I hardly recognize him nowadays.”

“Are you two happy?”

She sighed. “I thought bein’ married would bring me so much more…but…” She shook her head, leaving her sentence hanging in the air before her. “Maddie thinks I should divorce him. She tells me he’s nothin’ but a waste of my time, that I’d be better off without him.”

He blinked, shocked. “But you made a promise, Bonnie, a vow.”

She looked up and locked gazes with him, her blue eyes piercing into his with painful sincerity. “Sometimes that just isn’t enough, Jack. If you ever get married, I hope you have a better marriage than I do.”

Jack laughed bitterly. “I won’t ever get married.” He dismounted and walked around the palomino to stand beside her, keeping his eyes on the horse.

“Why not, Jack?”

“Who the hell would want someone like me?”

“You’d be surprised who love chooses to unite. Your parents were perfect examples of this.”

He snapped his head up and glared at her. “That’s a fucking lie! My father was a bastard outlaw and my mother was a…working gal! Their union was far from perfect, Bonnie! And look what became of that union!” He jabbed himself hatefully in the chest with his index finger. “I’m the son of two degenerates, and you know it, so don’t try to play my parents off as something perfect.”

“But they loved each other, Jack, and you.”

He scoffed and looked away to the stables, where most of the horses had gathered and were either half-asleep or bored as they swatted flies with their tails and stomped them off their legs. His eyes narrowed in reflection. It was true, they had loved each other unconditionally, and his mother raised his as right as she could and with all the love in her heart. And his father always stayed faithful to his wife, even when Abigail had had her suspicions after meeting Bonnie. _But Pa never much showed me he loved me…except when he hugged me right before…_ He blinked and repressed the painful flow of memories the day his father was killed.

“Do you doubt they loved you?” Bonnie asked softly.

He looked back at her, noticing how intently she studied his face. He shrugged. “Hell, I don’t know, Bonnie. There’s no doubt in my mind that Ma loved me, but Pa…I always question it. But what he did for me and Ma was…” He left his sentence with no resolution; he couldn’t evoke the right words to express what he knew.

“What he did for you and your mother was true sacrifice, Jack. He loved you. _Never ever doubt that.”_

He nodded, not trusting his voice for fear of it breaking. A long silence enveloped them as her words floated in the air.

“So you’ll never marry, huh?” Bonnie suddenly asked.

He shook his head. “No one would take me for who I am, for what I’ve become. I don’t think I deserve it, with everythin’ I’ve done.”

“Everyone needs someone, Jack, even you.”

Jack cleared his throat and asked, “So am I done with Sundance for the day?”

She nodded, looking horse and rider over. “I’d say so. You guys look pretty tired.”

“Oh, you don’t know the half of it, Miss MacFarlane,” he chuckled as he led the palomino to the stables. Bonnie followed as well with Féileacán. They unsaddled the horses and laid their tack on a sawhorse in the barn. Afterwards, Jack watched Sundance trot away. He smirked when the horse found a suitable place to lay down and began to roll around in the dirt, making content grunts and groans as he did so. When he was coated in dirt, the stallion stood up and shook himself. He blew with satisfaction before yawning greatly.

It wasn’t until after he tore his tired eyes away from the stallion that he noticed Bonnie was looking at him with a queer expression. “What?”

She bit down on her lip, looking as if she was trying her best not to burst out laughing.

Jack faced her fully. “What’s so funny?”

“Eli told me about the bet, Jack. He told me a couple days ago when he came up to me and asked for the dollar he won off you.”

He felt his face flush unbearably, and he turned his gaze to his boots.

Bonnie gave a boisterous laugh and smacked him playfully on the shoulder. “Oh, look at you, blushin’ redder than a sun-burnt tenderfoot on a cattle drive!”

“Shut up.” He rubbed the back of his neck with a callused hand.

“You _are_ interested in her, aren’t you, Jack?”

He jerked his gaze up at her. “ _Fuck no!_ I absolutely _hate_ that woman!”

She chortled. “Oh, you are such a terrible liar, Mister Marston!”

“I ain’t lyin’, miss. Trust me, I don’t like her at all. She’s a bitch.”

“And you’re an ass, so it only fits.”

“That’s quite enough, Bonnie! I am _not_ interested in her! _”_

She waved a dismissive hand at him and rolled her eyes. “Oh, you’re just bein’ childish now, Marston.”

“And _you’re_ bein’ foolish.”

“Maybe so, but I’m not the one who’s gettin’ angry and defensive. The way you’re actin’, I’d take it you’re fallin’ head over heels for Madeline.”

“Would you just shut the hell up already?”

She laughed as she took a step back from him and held her hands up submissively. “Alright, Jack. Whatever you say, boy.”

He exhaled angrily through his nose as he looked away back at Sundance, who was standing where he had rolled with his head hung low, eyes half-closed, and his ears drooped to the sides. Jack turned and headed for the gate, with Bonnie following closely. He held the gate open for her and beckoned her to go first.

She weaved her way around the gate and stood waiting for him, still giving him a knowing smirk. “So, do you owe Eli ten bucks yet?”

“GODDAMN IT, BONNIE!” he roared, slamming the gate closed behind him and spooking nearby horses. “I _DO NOT_ _¾_ ”

His violent declaration was interrupted when a distraught cry erupted by the general store. He and Bonnie turned and stared as a roguish-looking young man seized one of the ranch hands by his left leg and arm and threw him roughly off his red roan gelding. As the man tumbled to the ground, the outlaw hastily mounted up, gathered the reins in both hands, and galloped the horse out towards the plains and the dense woods. As the stolen horse galloped down the road, the tussled ranch hand scrambled to his feet, shouting obscenities and shaking his fist at the man who did him wrong.

Jack and Bonnie dashed over to the distraught man. As the man explained what had happened, Jack was looking for the nearest horse, and he ran over to a dark-gray mare hitched in front of the doctor’s shed. He untied the horse, jammed his left boot in the stirrup, and leapt up into the saddle. He whirled the horse around and spurred her harshly. He was galloping out of the ranch the next instant. He leaned forward in the saddle and sunk into the seat, feeling a strange sense of duty and determination surge through him as he rode. As the horse jumped over the railroad tracks and headed out toward the plains, he heard someone scream, “JACK MARSTON, GET BACK HERE!”

He was too far gone to shout back to her as he urged the mare to gallop faster. He darted past fellow travelers and weaved his way around wagons as he searched for the horse thief.

_Wait……why am I doing this?_

His determination faltered slightly as he contemplated whether to slow the gray mare down and turn her back toward the ranch. He also thought whether to keep going and simply take refuge in some small settlement, like Thieves Landing or Plainview. He bit down on his lip, indecisive and feeling guilty. _If I ride on and don’t go after him, Bonnie will hate me forever, and she’ll probably send a search party after me, anyways. But if I can’t find this horse thief, what then? Do I go back empty-handed?_ He shook his head and exhaled through his nose. _Damn it all!_

His doubts were put to rest when he saw a cloud of dust appear two hundred yards down the road. With an elated shout, he kicked the mare faster. As he drew nearer, he recognized the red roan and the horse thief.

It was only then that he realized he only had his lasso on his person. He hadn’t seen his guns since the night of his incarceration; they were locked safely away somewhere in Bonnie’s ranch house. _Shit_. _Now what? I suppose I could lasso him…but the horse would get away. Damn it! It would be_ so much easier _to just shoot the bastard and be done with it!_

In the next instant, a crazy idea burst into his brain. Smiling at his imprudence and recklessness, he spurred the gray mare up alongside the red roan. A moment passed between the two men as they looked over at each other and locked eyes.

Jack took his right boot out of the stirrup and kicked the horse thief as hard as he could in the side. He had to grab the saddle horn and steady himself when his boot made contact and dislodged the young man from his saddle, sending him flying before tumbling and rolling to a painful stop thirty yards back. Jack reached over and grabbed the red roan’s reins, sat back up in the saddle, and slowed the two horses before he reined them back toward the ranch.

As he rode up to the horse thief, he made eye contact with the young man. Jack wrapped the red roan’s reins around the saddle horn, put his horse’s reins in his mouth, and retrieved his lasso from his side. He unfurled it and swung it up and around over his head, picking up speed in preparation for the throw.

The horse thief was slowly gathering himself up off the ground. His forehead bled from a large gash above his right eyebrow. The young man looked up at the sound of approaching horses. At the sight of Jack whirling his lasso above him, he scrambled to get to his feet, but he faltered as he clutched at his ribs and gasped. Still, he reached for the revolver strapped to his side. He wasn’t quick enough to draw it; Jack’s lasso looped around his torso and upper arms.

Jack stopped the horses before the young man and jerked back on the lasso, causing the young man to fall forward helplessly to the ground. He kept the rope taut as he quickly dismounted and approached the young man, who was lying on his stomach before him and grumbling incoherent curses. Jack pressed his right knee into his back, putting most of his weight on him as he tied the boy’s hands behind his back with a loop he created with the slack of the lasso. With a sigh, Jack stood up and stared down at the kid.

“Ya rotten fuck!” the horse thief grunted. “Untie me!”

“Ain’t happenin’, friend.” He glanced back at the horses; they stood panting and blowing several feet away from him, the whites of their eyes showing and their sides damp with sweat. Jack went to them and petted them. “Easy, you two. It’s all right.”

“C’mon, mister! Untie me! I just needed a horse is all! Please, I’m beggin’ ya!”

He turned back to the thief and hissed, “You’ll get your just reward in a little bit. Until then, I’d lie there and shut the fuck up if I was you.”

“If you were me and I was you, I’d kick the ever-livin’ shit outta you, mister!” The young man struggled against his restraints, wriggling helplessly on the ground. He craned his head up to look Jack in the eye as he pleaded, “Please, mister! Don’t hand me over to the law! I’m desperate!”

Jack scoffed. “You’re mighty desperate now, aren’t ya? Now that you’re all tied up.”

“You don’t understand! I’m broke and needed a horse! I’ve never gunned down anybody, mister! I’m just a kid!”

A pang of pity swelled in Jack’s breast as he met eyes with the thief. He looked to be no older than sixteen. He looked like he hadn’t bathed or eaten in some time; his blonde hair was matted and longer than Jack’s; his clothes were torn and soiled.

“You look like a hurtin’ man, too, mister. You and I ain’t so different.”

Jack’s eyebrows narrowed. An opposing frown tugged at his lips. “Oh, trust me, we’re _complete_ opposites. I for one ain’t tied up layin’ on the ground.”

“Untie me, or I swear to God I’ll kill ya!”

“That’ll prove kinda tough for you if you’re still tied up, boy.”

The boy gave a frustrated roar and fought even harder against his tethers. After ten seconds, he gave up with a despaired cry and laid on the ground panting. “Fuck you, ya cock-suckin’, mother-fuckin’, two-balled whore! Just you wait, ya son of a bitch! I’ll get free, and then I’ll beat the shit outta you! I’m gonna¾”

He yelped when Jack silenced him with a kick to the ribs.

“Shut up, kid.”

Jack glanced over his shoulder as the thunder of hoof falls came from behind him. His heart sunk as he turned and saw Bonnie leading four armed ranch hands. They pulled up their huffing horses in front of him, their firearms drawn and aimed at his chest.

“JACK MARSTON!” Bonnie shrieked as she dismounted and advanced toward him, a Henry repeater grasped tightly in both hands. She struck him hard across the face with the butt of her gun, making him drop to the ground with a cry of pain and shock. He caught himself with his hands and knees, though, and he looked up at her as she bellowed, “HOW DARE YOU STEAL ONE OF MY HORSES AND RIDE OFF AGAINST MY ORDERS!”

Slowly, Jack gathered himself up off the ground. He groaned and held the side of his face with a hand; blood trickled from the cut he received above his left temple. He glowered at her.

“Explain yourself, boy!”

“ _I just saved your horse!”_ He wiped the blood off his hand and face with his sleeve. “You should be _thanking_ me!”

“That’s the biggest lie I’ve ever heard! You were trying to high-tail it outta here and make off with my horse!”

“Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me, Bonnie? You know better than to think that I’d do such a foolish thing like that!”

“Well, I didn’t think you’d steal a horse and go gallopin’ out towards the plains, but look where that got me!”

_“You know better!”_ He strode forward and stood glaring down at her.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of the ranch hands lower his weapon. “With all due respect, Miss MacFarlane, I think he’s tellin’ the truth.”

“What?” she demanded.

“Come off it, Bonnie,” the man continued, motioning to Jack with a declarative wave of his hand. “Why would Jack be standin’ here right now with your horses if he wasn’t tellin’ the truth?” He pointed down to the boy behind Jack and added, “And why else would he be standin’ here if he hadn’t just tied up that horse thief?”

Her gaze followed the man’s gesture. Surprise and embarrassment consumed her face as she looked down on the horse thief for the first time; Jack was inadvertently obscuring him from her view. She couldn’t find her voice for the longest time as she looked from Jack to the thief and back again.

Jack raised his chin. “See? I wasn’t about to take off, Bonnie. You know better than that, so stop assuming I’m a piece of trash.”

She glared at him, her jaw setting and her grip on her firearm tightening. “Shut your mouth, Marston. I didn’t assume anything.”

He tilted his head down and looked at her through his eyelashes. “Yes, you did, Bonnie.”

Bonnie stood before him, held silent by the truth of his words. After a time, she slung her repeater over her back and said, “Jack, throw that thief up behind your saddle. Bill, you take the red roan and pony him back. Let’s get back at the ranch.”

 

*             *             *

 

“So, what happened to your face, princess?”

Jack pretended he didn’t hear Maddie as he hefted two sacks of grain from the back of the supply wagon and slung them over his shoulders. He walked into the general store and handed the sacks to the store owner.

Maddie followed with her arms full as well, looking at him with obvious interest. “Well?”

“That’s none of your damn business,” he grunted as he walked around her.

She grabbed his arm and locked gazes with him. “You’ve got a cut on your face. Either you did something stupid during the day or you pissed off Bonnie. Which is it?”

He shrugged off her hand and went outside to grab two more sacks. He stomped into the general store, acting as if she wasn’t there.

She followed him, carrying another load in her arms. “I’m serious, Jack. Answer me or I’ll kick you in the ass.”

He dropped the sacks heavily onto the counter and whirled around. “Would you just stop already? I’ve had it with you and Bonnie constantly bein’ on my back all day, tellin’ me this and that and leadin’ me around like some dog on a short leash! I’ve HAD IT!”

She shied away. “Jesus, boy, calm down! I was just askin’ a question…. So, what happened?”

“Bonnie hit me,” he stated through clenched teeth. His hands flexed into shaking fists at his sides as he turned and walked back out the door.

She guffawed and followed right at his heels. “I _KNEW_ it!” She joined him at the back of the wagon. “So, what happened? You talked back to her and she set you straight, didn’t she? I bet that’s what happened.” She smacked his arm with the back of her hand. “You probably got all high and mighty and tried tellin’ her off, and then she doubled back on ya and whipped your ass into shape, didn’t she?” She threw back her head and laughed. “Damn, I wish I would’ve been here to see it!”

“You’re sadly mistaken,” Jack retorted as he hopped up into the wagon to fetch the last two sacks. He angrily tossed the bags towards the back of the wagon before jumping out. As he hoisted the bags onto his shoulders, he explained, “I saved one of her horses from gettin’ stolen, and she hit me with her gun.”

“You’re a liar, Marston. You wouldn’t even think of doing such a great service, and that doesn’t sound like something Bonnie would do.” She fell into step behind him.

“It’s true,” said the store owner.

Jack and Maddie turned and faced him.

“You’re kiddin’ me,” she said. She elbowed Jack in the ribs rather roughly. “This idiot wouldn’t know right from wrong if it came up and bit him in the ass.”

“No, it’s true. Jack went after a horse thief and took him down with nothing but his lasso. Bonnie accused him of stealin’ one of her horses with the intention of escape, but he stayed there beside the two horses and that tied-up thief. He wasn’t a runaway, Miss Maddie.”

Her jaw dropped. She looked Jack over, shaking her head. “That can’t be true. You’re a….”

“A criminal?” Jack finished, cocking an eyebrow at her. “You just can’t get it outta your head that I’m nothin’ but a nasty outlaw, can you?” He pointed to the cut on his head. “You want further proof? Just look at this. Bonnie gave this to me when she thought the same thing, and right after I proved her wrong, she sure shut up fast. You women think I’m some wild animal, unable to think. Well, I’ve got news for you: I’m better than that, and I think I’ve proven that today.”

Maddie took a step back, looked up him and down, and put a hand on her hip. She shook her head, still not comprehending, but she said, “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see if your words hold true in the future. Hell, Marston, we may make an honest man outta you yet.”


	6. A Shot of Reality

“Marston, would you quit yawning and wake up already? That’s the tenth time you’ve done that and it’s not even nine o’clock!”

From behind the viewing glass of his binoculars, Jack frowned and said, “It’s not my fault that bastard horse thief kept me up all night bitchin’ and yellin’ like some damn screech owl. Who the hell puts someone _that fuckin’ loud_ right beside my cell and expects me to get some sleep?”

“Me, that’s who,” Maddie replied and flicked the end of Gypsy’s reins at his arm.

“Ow!” he exclaimed as the leather slapped his bicep. He flinched in the saddle, causing the Dark Horse beneath him to pin back his ears. “Damn it, Maddie! What the hell was that for?”

She grinned devilishly at him and gathered up the reins again. “I’m helping you wake up.”

“With pain?”

“Yup,” she giggled and flicked the reins at him again, this time smacking his thigh.

“Stop that!”

“Is it waking you up?” she teased.

“It’s _pissing me off_ is what it’s doing!”

“Good! Then my job here is done.”

“Great! Then go back to the ranch and leave me be, ya rotten bitch.”

She smiled coyly at him. “Oh, you only wish, princess. I can’t just leave you here with the herd and expect you to know what you’re doing. Besides, have you already forgotten why we’re out here in the first place?” She loosened her grip on the reins and gave her horse her head.

Jack sighed angrily as he looked back into his binoculars and scanned the wide-open plains, his gaze passing over the backs of the head of thirty cattle that were grazing contently fifty yards before them. He and Maddie sat atop their horses beneath a large tree, shading themselves and giving their mounts a rest as they settled in for the long day that was to come. He saw nothing but open plains, cattle, and blue sky.

“I haven’t forgotten, damn it. Lay off for a while, ya nosy little shit.”

“Good. Just keep a sharp eye out for those cattle rustlers. No doubt they’ll be here sometime during the day.”

“I know, I know,” Jack grumbled and continued his vigilance over the cattle. He recalled earlier that morning around seven o-clock when Bonnie came up to them and stated there were cattle rustlers about stealing from neighboring ranchers. She issued them orders to drive the cattle out to pasture, with the help of three other ranch hands, and keep their guns at the ready and their eyes sharp for any signs of the thieves.

“You see anything yet?”

“No, and if you keep asking me that _every five minutes_ , things probably won’t change!” The binoculars slipped from his grasp and slammed against his chest; he thankful for the neck strap that kept the bulky thing from falling onto his groin.

Maddie jutted out her bottom lip and tucked in her chin, looking at him like a parent would to a child. “Does someone need a nap?”

“No,” he shot back as he scowled over at her, “someone needs to SHUT UP!” His booming retort spooked both horses from their half-awake state, making their riders gather the reins and tense up in preparation for their mounts to jink about. When the horses did nothing more but flinch in place, Maddie and Jack relaxed and glared at each other.

“Would you calm the hell down, Marston?” she demanded as she tugged down on her hat. The wind began to pick up slightly, causing her hair to flow behind her. “If you keep your antics up, you’ll scare the cattle into a stampede, and that’s something I’d rather not deal with today. We’ve already got enough on our plates with the threat of the cattle rustlers.”

“Oh, bullshit. They won’t spook.” He motioned to the herd before them with an upturned hand. “They’re just grazing. Nothing’s gonna happen.”

“Don’t go jinxing us, now, boy.” Her eyes wandered about at their surroundings; she frowned. “God knows what’ll happen, anyway.”

“Pssh! You worry too much, lady.”

She turned her frown back to him. “Shit can happen when you least expect it. I know that from experience, so don’t get too cocky.”

He shrugged nonchalantly and looked off into the distance. “Whatever you say, miss.”

Silence drifted its way between them. Five solid minutes passed with no conversation; only the sigh of the breeze and the occasional bellow of a cow interrupted the quiet vigilance. Jack looked across the plains at the other three men who accompanied them on their mission; all three were spread out evenly around the other side of the herd, about three hundred yards in front of him and Maddie and fifty yards from the cattle. Utterly bored of the monotonous silence and his job, Jack studied each man.

He looked over the young man on the left. The kid was around seventeen years old, with a scrawny build and a mop of dark-brown hair that was barely contained underneath his straw hat. He sat atop his chestnut gelding looking just as bored as Jack was, staring off into space with a reflective frown upon his thin lips. He was handsome, dressed like all the other ranch hands, and had a quiet way about him. He was a charming young man with the most chivalric qualities and a hard work ethic to boot. Jack liked the boy for his quiet demeanor and the ever-present thoughtful look in his hazel eyes. _Joshua’s a good kid_ , he concluded with an inward smile before he looked over at the second cowpoke that was directly across from where he and Maddie were.

He recognized the second man, Bill, from the first night of his imprisonment at the MacFarlane ranch. He had kept a watch over him since that night, and although he spoke hardly a word to him afterwards, he had a way about him that was pleasant, albeit in a strange way. He said little to Jack, but when he did, it was his deep voice that kept Jack on the edge, wanting to listen to whatever he had to say, even if it meant little to him. He was in his early thirties, with short graying hair and a face like weathered leather. He always kept his thick mustache trimmed neatly. Jack looked to his right and let his eyes wander over the third ranch hand.

He had never spoken to Ira prior to that morning before the cattle were driven to pasture. He was in his twenties, with a stocky, well-muscled build, and he had a darker complexion than most of the men on the ranch. Jack estimated he was part Indian, with his deep-set eyes, jutting forehead, and semi-long black hair. He sat atop his Appaloosa stallion holding his buffalo rifle rigidly and looking slowly about, his dark eyes searching. Bored with him, Jack looked away and stared down at his Dark Horse. He found it hard to keep his eyes open.

_Why am I even here?_ He adjusted himself in the saddle to stay awake. _Maddie, Joshua, Bill, and Ira all have guns, but I don’t._ He looked down at the saddle horn, where his lasso lay wrapped around it. _All I have is this useless thing, and that won’t be useful if things go south for us today._ He shook his head. _This is a complete waste of my time. I should be working with Sundance or doing something more productive than sit here and look like an idiot._

He merely jumped a foot out of the saddle when Maddie cleared her throat.

“So…I saw you gawking at that horse thief this morning when we were saddling up. What was that all about?”

“What about it?” he asked and yawned.

“I was just curious is all.” She paused, her brow furrowing in confusion. “Why did you stare when those two sheriffs from Armadillo, Eli and Jonah, took him away? You had the strangest look on your face.”

He shrugged as he wrapped the reins around the saddle horn. He picked up his lasso and fiddled with it. “I don’t know, Maddie. I…I guess I felt bad for the kid after all that happened yesterday.”

She blinked. “You felt bad for him? Why? He’s a delinquent that needs to be straightened out.”

“I know, I know. It’s just that…” He frowned and looked away, keeping his gaze to the ground. He felt his face flush as he confessed, “That could’ve been me, I guess. I mean, here I am, doin’ my time and still alive, when they’re gonna take him back to Armadillo and have him tried and hanged in front of everybody. I don’t feel…obligated to be here, that’s all.”

She sat atop her black beauty in awe, her mouth dropping open to form a small, perfect “o”.

“I just don’t think it’s fair. I’ve killed fourteen people and robbed a bank, and all _he_ did was steal a horse.” He shook his head. “It’s not right.” He looked over at his companion when she didn’t respond. “What’s wrong with you?”

She blinked several times. “Yeah, it’s just…Well, I didn’t think you would be like this, after all you’ve done and said. It’s just…weird.”

“Hmm.”

“And you’re right. I think it’s wrong as well, although you have to take into consideration he may not be hanged for this. He will go to court and be tried, that is true, but, if anything, he’ll be fined and do some jail time. I wouldn’t worry too much on it, Jack. He’ll pay for his mistakes, but I’m certain he won’t pay with his life.”

“I guess.”

“You sound so unsure.”

“Why shouldn’t I be? With how screwed up the government and the law is, I’d be hard-pressed to believe in justice nowadays.”

“Why do you say that?”

He shot her an irritated glare. “Just look at what happened to my father! Edgar Ross killed him in cold blood, gunned him down as if he were nothing more than a work horse that had gone lame on him. He took it upon himself to storm our farm and kill Uncle and my pa and rid my family of a life that we worked _so damn hard_ to get. It’s absolute bullshit, Maddie!” He pursed his lips and glared off past the herd and Bill.

“Is that what _really_ happened?” she whispered.

He glowered malevolently down at the saddle horn. “Yes.”

“I…I never knew. I was told differently.”

“Yeah, well, that’s the law for ya,” he scoffed back. His body shook with anger. “They tell lies to cover up the truth and make up for their wrong-doings.”

“You’re talkin’ nonsense, Jack. The law is here to serve and protect, not subjugate and terrorize.”

“Don’t believe a thing you hear, Miss Maddie! _Everything_ I’ve heard from a lawman’s mouth has been nothing but lies and deceit! They’re nothin’ but a bunch of backstabbin’ morons who don’t take responsibility! They’re like the nasty politicians, only with guns and a shiny little badge that apparently makes them better than everyone else.” The saddle horn creaked as he gripped it with excessive force. “Fuckin’ bastards, anyway.”

“So…how old were you when this happened?”

“Sixteen. Pa had just gotten back from dealing with his bullshit mission when he was gunned down by the person who made him run around all of Texas and Mexico for months on end.”

“How old was your pa?”

Jack sighed. “Thirty-eight. He had so much more to do, so much more he wanted to accomplish…Ma was forty when she died. They were both gone too damn fast, too early…”

“We all think we have time, Jack. Sometimes things happen and we’re left with questions and unresolved aspirations. Life doesn’t always happen the way people want it to.”

Something about her voice told him she was reflective and empathetic. He looked over at her and was surprised to see her head was tilted downward, her lips holding a resentful frown, and her brown eyes had a faraway look to them even as she gazed down at Gypsy’s silvery mane. “You sound as if you know what I’m talking about.”

“I do,” she confessed softly, almost too quiet for him to hear.

“Really?” He sat up in the saddle. “What happened to you?”

Her expression suddenly hardened, and she brought herself back up in the saddle. “Nothin’.”

“You’re lyin’, Maddie. Tell me what happened.”

She threw him a nasty glare. “Why do _you_ care? And why should I be the one to spill my story when it should be you instead?”

“I already told my story.”

She shook her head. “Not all of it, you haven’t.”

“So you want me to tell you everything about me and not tell me a single damn thing in return?”

She refused to answer.

“Tough shit, Maddie. I’m not budgin’, not until you tell me something about you first.”

“Why? What’s so interesting about me that you’d want to know?”

“Well, what’s so interesting about me? According to you, I’m just another outlaw who needs to be tried and punished for his crimes. Tell me something about you, and I’ll tell you in kind.”

She guffawed. “So, we’re coming to an agreement about swapping stories? So, what, I’ll say something, then you’ll do the same, and then it’s back to me? A call and answer conversation of sorts?” She shook her head and raised her chin defiantly. “Not gonna happen, Marston.”

“Oh, you’re just bein’ a yellow-belly now!”

“I am not! I just refuse to expel any information about myself to a low-life like you. You’ll somehow pit it against me.”

“Now why would I do something like that?”

“Because you’re an ass.”

“Oh, stop bein’ such a princess and man up to the question¾I mean, woman up.”

Her long dark hair swayed from side to side as she shook her head. “Hell no.”

“ _Now_ look who’s bein’ the ass,” he grumbled. For over an hour, Jack poked and prodded, trying to get any information out of her, but to no avail. She refused to budge, only retaliating back by throwing the attention on to him and demanding he explain himself to her. He refused as well, and in the end, both of them sat on their horses flustered and scowling as they plotted a way to get answers from the other. By the time they were mentally spent, it was noon, and the sun had truly begun to beat down on the land with veracity. Their canteens were half-empty and their food rations gone by the time the afternoon passed into evening and the weather had begun to drift back down to a bearable temperature. As dusk approached, and their questioning had gone nowhere, they finally gave up and drove the herd back home with the help of Bill, Ira, and Joshua.

As she locked him in his cell for the night, Jack warned, “Don’t think that just because this day is over I’m gonna give up. I’m still gonna keep buggin’ ya for answers until you just tell me.”

She gave him a fake smile and replied, “And don’t think that just because you’re a stubborn jackass you’ll get any answers out of me. I’m gonna bug _you_ for answers.”

He smirked. “I’ll be looking forward to tomorrow, then.”

She chuckled and shook her head as she headed out the door.

 

*             *             *

 

“So what happened to you?” Jack questioned, trying to hide the smile in his voice as he questioned her for the fifth time that afternoon.

“For the last fucking time, _leave me alone!_ ”

He shook his head. “No way. Not until you tell me.”

“Well, I’m not confessing a damn thing to you until you tell me _your_ story. It’s as simple as that.”

He chortled and leaned closer to her, intentionally making her uncomfortable. “Oh, come on, miss. One of us _has_ to break, and I’m bettin’ it’s gonna be you.”

“Not on my life will it be! I’m not gonna be the one puttin’ my heart on my sleeve and tellin’ you everything that happened from day one.”

Jack sighed, growing frustrated. _Maybe I should compromise with her_. He cleared his throat. “How about this: you ask me one question, one small question about absolutely anything, and I’ll answer it, but only if I get to ask you a small question in return. We’ll go back and forth like that, just so it’s fair. How does that sound?”

She frowned and looked down at her hands; she picked at her cuticles and bit down on her lip in thought. “Alright then.”

He gestured to her. “Ladies first.”

She paused to think of a question, her eyes darting about in thought. “What was your life like before you killed people?”

He lifted his index finger and waved it at her tauntingly. “Ah, ah, ah, Maddie. Ask me a smaller question; that one’s too broad. Try again.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. How about this: what is your earliest memory?”

He blinked, caught off guard. “Uh…Hmm, I don’t quite know…Uh…I guess it would be sitting around the campfire with my sister and parents and Uncle Dutch. Pa and Ma ran with a gang, and when they had me and Annabelle, we just became one big family, I suppose. When you’re a kid, you don’t realize what’s all goin’ on around you, but now that I look back on it…” He trailed off with a shake of his head and stared out at the grazing herd.

“So you were screwed to begin with, huh?” she generalized. “You were born an outlaw and just grew bigger.”

“No!” he snapped. “That’s not how it was. Sure, Pa and Ma made bad choices, but when they had me and Annabelle, things started to become clearer to them, especially after the gang left Pa for dead after he got shot while they were trying to rob a bank. So we left that life, and we started over.”

“Who’s Annabelle?”

“My sister.”

“Where is she now?”

“She’s dead. She died when I was little. She got sick; I don’t rightly remember what she got sick with, but she’s been gone for… _years_.” He nodded to her and gave an expectant look. “What about you? What’s your earliest memory?”

She smiled softly; her eyes glazed over in recollection. “My mother holding me and reading bedtime stories. She had the most soothing voice, and her hair used to cover me like a blanket.”

Jack blinked, taken aback by her heartwarming memory. He felt uncertainty rise in his gut, and he hesitated to ask his question. “Where…where is your mother now?”

Pain enveloped Maddie’s brown eyes; instead of looking away like Jack thought she would, she met eyes with him and said simply, “She’s dead.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You wanted to know.”

He sighed and looked down somberly at the Dark Horse’s brutish head.

“My turn,” Maddie said bitterly. “So, since your parents are dead, and you now own Beecher’s Hope, is there any chance you’ll stay there after Bonnie and I have forced you to fix it up?”

He shook his head. “Beecher’s Hope is not my home. Not anymore.”

“But it _is_ your property, Jack. You’ve inherited it, as is your right. It is also your right, your _responsibility_ , to continue the ranch, is it not?”

He frowned deeply at this and refused to respond. He turned his head slightly to the side, avoiding her piercing gaze and inquiry.

_“Is it not?”_

“Yes, damn it!” he shouted as he looked back up at her. “I _know_ it’s mine now, alright? Now stop bein’ such a vindictive ass and leave it alone!” He took a refreshing breath. “Look, I didn’t know your mother was dead, just as you didn’t know my sister was dead. I wasn’t meanin’ to be nosy or hurtful.”

“That’s bullshit, Marston,” she argued, a vengeful scowl forming across her full lips. “It was your _very intention_ to be spiteful.”

“I can say the same to you, Maddie.”

She recoiled in the saddle with raised eyebrows. Shocked to the point of speechlessness, she looked away.

Jack took the opportunity to continue the questioning. “Alright, so…what about your pa? Is he still…around?”

He had never seen her look so angry in all the weeks they’d worked alongside each other she glanced back at him. Her hair whipped maliciously about her face and shoulders from the wind, adding to her intimidating demeanor as she growled back, “Yeah, that bastard’s still around.”

“I, uh…I take it you two aren’t on the best of terms.”

She shook her head. “Nope.”

“What did he¾?”

“It’s _my_ turn to question you, Marston,” she interjected. “You, on the other hand, still haven’t answered my previous question: do you plan on staying at Beecher’s Hope after you’ve repaired it?”

“What do you want me to say? That I’ll return home and be the prodigal son that you and Bonnie want me to be? That I’ll go back there and live the good life and everything will be fine and dandy?” He scoffed and shook his head. “Maddie, I don’t think I can do that. Beecher’s Hope, to me, is a nightmare of the past that’s filled with nothing but heartache and lost dreams. That ranch is a lost cause; it _has_ been from day one. There’s no amount of money or pressure from you or Bonnie that will get me back there and keep me there.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Marston,” she rebuked stubbornly, turning slightly in the saddle to face him. “You _are_ going back there, whether you like it or not, and you _are_ going to carry out your father’s legacy as a well-to-do rancher. It’s what’s best for you.”

_“Who the fuck are you to tell me what’s best for me?”_ he demanded, turning as well in the saddle. He pointed to her with a jamming finger. “Who are you to tell me what I’m supposed to do with my life? You have _no right_ to do that, and neither does Bonnie!”

She ended his rant by drawing her pistol and pointing it at his forehead. “You are one ungrateful prick, you know that? We’re doing this for you so that you can _live_ , Jack. Would you rather be hanged in front of all the people whose families have been torn apart by your recklessness? Would you rather be gunned down like your father and die before your life could blossom? _Appreciate what you’re going through, goddamn it!_ You might not like it, and you might fight against it, but you know you need some sense of direction! Just look back a month ago at how screwed up your life was! Once again, I am debating whether to pull this trigger and end your miserable existence. You don’t appreciate life, and you certainly don’t appreciate what we’re doing for you. So suck it up and accept what is and what should be!”

He glowered back at her and challenged, “You wanna pull the trigger, Maddie? Then fuckin’ do it. If you think I’m gonna¾”

His words were cut off abruptly when a thunderous gunshot sounded. Their banter ended instantly; all traces of vindictive stubbornness and pride were cast aside as they looked around for the source of the shot. Jack looked over at Maddie when she holstered her gun and gasped in horror.

“What? What’s going on?”

“IRA!” she screamed and kicked her horse forward into a gallop.

Jack followed, confused. He rode behind her, and when he looked past her and her black mare, he gasped as well at the atrocious sight.

Ira was lying in a puddle of his own blood on the ground. A large, ghastly bullet-hole, roughly two inches wide, had decimated the center of his chest. Blood trickled out of the corners of his mouth, and his eyes stared placidly up at the tranquil sky. His buffalo rifle lay by his side. Beside him, his Appaloosa stallion pranced in place. The horse’s eyes were wide and rolling about in its sockets, the whites plainly showing, and his well-muscled body trembled. Jack and Maddie pulled up their horses to a sliding stop, dismounted, and ran over to the dying man and knelt beside him.

Maddie held his head with her hands. “Ira! Ira, stay with me! IRA!”

The man locked eyes with her. He opened his mouth to mutter something, but his body grew limp as he gave one last, shaky exhale. The life left his dark eyes; they held a faraway, glassy look as he saw no more. Maddie stared down in dismay as she delicately lowered his head.

“Jack! Maddie! What’s goin’ on?”

They looked up as the sound of charging horses. Joshua and Bill pulled their horses to a stop several feet away. They wasted no time drawing their firearms.

“Maddie, what happened?” Bill asked.

She shook her head solemnly. “Ira’s dead.” Her gaze hardened as she stood up and grabbed her repeater from her back, swinging it over her shoulder and holding it aloft. She loaded it quickly and pressed the butt of the rifle against her shoulder. “Keep your eyes peeled and your guns ready, boys,” she ordered, her voice low and authoritative. Her steely demeanor surprised Jack; just seconds ago, he could’ve sworn he saw tears gathering in her eyes as she held Ira’s head in her gentle hands. Now, she had the men at her command, and her wits were about her as she held her gun at the ready and swiveled around in her spot, searching.

It all happened in a matter of seconds.

The first bullet caught Bill in the temple, mutilating his skull and killing him instantly. He fell out of the saddle and dropped to the ground beneath his spooking dapple-grey in a ragdoll-like fashion. A second bullet struck Joshua in the center of his throat. Jack saw the boy fall and, seeing as he was closer to him, leaped forward with arms spread out to catch him. The boy dropped into his arms like a hundred-pound sack of feed, and as Jack eased him clumsily down onto the ground, he locked eyes with him. He knew it was all over for the young man; he felt tears swim in his eyes as he shook his head. He opened his mouth to say something, but he closed it when didn’t know what to say. What _could_ he say, except “I’m sorry”?

Joshua’s eyes bulged in shock, pain, and at the prospect of inescapable death. Blood bubbled and gushed out of his mouth and flowed down the sides of his face as he uttered a despairing gurgle; it spurted out from the gaping hole in his throat. The boy’s terror and disappointment were excruciatingly evident as he gripped Jack’s triceps with unexpected strength. His body twitched and shook as the nerves and organs quickly began to shut down, and despite his desperate fight for survival, he went limp in Jack’s arms. His head fell back against his bearer’s forearm; his fingers loosened their grip and his arms hung down onto the ground. Jack eased the boy down to the ground and slid his arms out from underneath him. He looked away to keep himself from getting sick.

He was unable to grieve for their deaths as an assault of bullets whizzed all around him. He dropped down to the ground beside the young man’s body. He didn’t dare stand up and fight without any guns, so he kept himself low among the prairie grass as he looked up and watched the gunfight rage before him.

Three hundred yards away, a group of ten mounted men came charging toward him and Maddie, their guns raised and their sights resting on the last remaining cowpoke. Maddie stood with her gun raised and a dauntless scowl upon her beautiful face; her long hair waved behind her like a black banner of revenge. She took in a deep breath and aimed her sights on her first target. Within seven seconds, only five of the ten cow rustlers remained. She had cut them down with a single, precise shot to the chest, knocking them out of the saddle and sending them tumbling down to the ground to be trampled by their foaming, pent-up mounts. Four more seconds passed, and she took down two more. However, as they came up to her with only fifty yards between them, her luck was upturned.

The remaining cattle rustlers had responded with their own storm of bullets. Maddie grunted with pain as a bullet tore through her left shoulder; she cried out in agony as another ripped through her right thigh. Blood stained her clothing; she slouched forward, favored her leg, and gasped in excruciation. Her face contorted in anguish as she attempted to straighten back up and raise her firearm to dispose of the last three.

A silver gleam caught Jack’s attention out of the corner of his eye; the sun cast a hopeful ray of light upon Joshua’s revolver. With an optimistic cry, he snatched up the gun and leapt to his feet. Keeping the revolver by his side, he aimed up at the men and drew back on the hammer six times with the side of his hand, shooting the last remaining men two times each in the chest as they came galloping up to Maddie. Their bodies rolled and tumbled to a stop around him and his wounded comrade; their horses scattered around them with fearful whinnies.

Silence enveloped the battle field, sending a chill through Jack’s body as he rushed up beside Maddie. His mind was a tornado of traumatizing memories, flashes of macabre snap-shots. “Are you all right?” he asked. He tossed aside Joshua’s revolver to grasp her uninjured arm and prop her up with she doubled over.

She shoved his hand away and screwed her eyes shut. With difficulty, she slung her repeater over her back. She let her left arm dangle as she pressed her wound with her right hand. Blood stained her hand and continued to trickle down her arm. A trickle of crimson ran down her right leg from the gunshot wound on her thigh.

Jack found himself staring at her wounds with wide-eyed horror. “Jesus, Maddie, you’re bleeding. We have to get you back to the ranch.”

She snickered half-heartedly. “You _do_ realize you’re talkin’ to a bounty hunter, right? I’m fine, Jack. I’ve been shot countless times; it’s a norm for me.”

He stepped closer to her. “Don’t play around with me. You’re hurt. Bad.” He pressed his hand against her back and once again held his other hand hovering beside her right arm.

She frowned at his touch, but she acquiesced, or at least attempted to. She managed to limp forward several steps before her legs buckled. Jack caught her in mid-fall around her waist.

_“_ Whoa, there, Miss Maddie! Steady now.”

“Oh, shut it, princess,” she growled back in between gasps. “I’m just fine. I got a little ahead of myself is all.”

“Quit playin’ the tough girl, miss,” he griped as he removed one of his arms from her waist. He grabbed her uninjured arm and wrapped it around his shoulders. “I think it’s safe to say you don’t need to be impressin’ me anymore with your grit, especially after how well you handled those men. Now, let’s get you to get to the doctor before you pass out.”

“I said I’m fine, damn it,” she argued, trying to pull out of his grasp and unfurl her arm up and away from his shoulders. “Just let me get on my horse and I’ll be just fine.” She looked around, and panic enveloped her beautiful face. _“_ OH, SHIT! Where’s the herd?”

Jack had completely forgotten about the livestock. He and Maddie looked around, but the thirty head of cattle were nowhere to be seen.

“Son of a bitch! We gotta go find ‘em, Jack! Bonnie will certainly kill us both if we don’t round up them cows!” She tried to limp over to her horse, who stood ten feet away, but she fell forward.

“Damn it, Maddie!” he shouted as he caught her and placed her right arm back around her shoulders. “That’s it! I’m takin’ you back to Bonnie before you bleed out.” He whistled for his mount, and the Dark Horse galloped up to him from a hundred yards away and stood obediently before him and Maddie. The gelding’s nostrils flared at the scent of blood; he flicked his ears back and swished his tail.

As Jack suspected, she fought against him as he half-carried, half-drug her up to his horse.

“Get your hands off me, you bastard! I can walk just fine.”

“No, you can’t. You almost fell on your face. Twice.”

“You can’t fuckin’ treat me like a child! Let go of me, you ruffian!”

“Stop bitchin’ and let me help you, you stubborn jack-ass of a woman!”

Her body shook from the effort as she tried to free herself from his grasp. “I will not be handled like some piece of luggage, Jack Marston! You let me go this instant or else I’ll¾”

“You’ll what?” he grunted back, tightening his embrace on her. “You’ll shoot me? Big fuckin’ deal, Maddie. Besides, you don’t have the strength to do it. Now stop being stupid and let’s get out of here.”

“ _But what about the herd?!_ We can’t just leave them beh¾!”

“FUCK THE HERD!” he bellowed and stopped abruptly. “They’ll be fine! You, on the other hand, _won’t_ be if we keep standin’ here wastin’ time. Now, come on, let’s get you back to Bonnie’s!” He helped her up to his horse.

She warily put her left boot into the stirrup and grabbed onto the saddle horn. Her body quivered as she pulled herself up into the saddle. Jack grabbed her around her waist and lifted her up into the saddle, blushing all the while. Maddie cried out in anguish as she barely managed to throw her right leg over the Dark Horse’s back. She leaned forward in the saddle as she gasped and screwed her eyes shut.

“What…What about Ira, Bill, and Joshua?” she panted. Beneath her, the Dark Horse snorted as the blood overpowered his nostrils.

Jack patted his steed’s neck. “We can do nothing for them.” He hopped twice on the ball of his foot before he jumped and threw his right leg over his horse’s rump. He grabbed the cantle and pulled himself to sit behind Maddie. He wrapped his left arm around her waist and gathered up the reins with his right hand. He grimaced as he felt her blood from her left shoulder wound seep into his left sleeve. He was about to kick his horse forward when, unexpectedly, Maddie whistled. Gypsy came galloping up to them and nickered warily as she nudged Maddie’s knee with her muzzle. Her rider grinned and weakly brushed her muzzle with her fingertips.

“Hold on, Maddie,” Jack advised as he reined the Dark Horse around. He dug his spurs into the horse’s sides, making the steed jerk forward into a gallop. Gypsy closely followed.

The three-mile ride back to Bonnie’s ranch seemed like a day-long journey. _This shouldn’t be taking us this damn long to get back!_ Jack thought angrily as he spurred his horse once again. His scarred steed tossed his head in protest. Jack grew to hate the horse and wished he and Maddie were riding Gypsy instead, who easily kept pace with them without breaking a sweat.

“Jack, stop,” Maddie uttered. “You’ll kill him if you keep at him like this.”

“I’d rather run this horse to death than have you die on me.” The honesty of his words shocked him. He quickly added, “There have been far too many deaths in one day for my liking.”

He grew nervous when she didn’t respond. He glanced down at her and was amazed to find she was still conscious, if only halfway, but her eyes were as wide as her enervation would allow. He had apparently shocked her to speechlessness, and so on they rode on in silence. Jack took as many short-cuts as possible in his rush to make it back in time before his companion fainted. His heart jolted in elation when the ranch came into view half a mile down the road; He sighed with relief.

“We made it.”

“G-Good,” she managed to stammer back as she slumped back against him.

He spurred his exhausted mount further. With one last mad dash, the Dark Horse sprinted forward with whatever energy he had left. Jack switched the reins to his left hand and drew Maddie’s semi-automatic pistol. As they rode onto Bonnie’s property, he fired off several shots into the air to get the attention of whoever was around. By the time he pulled the Dark Horse up in front of the general store, a crowd of ranch hands had begun to accumulate before him and his spent speed. The crowd made way for Gypsy as she barreled her way to her rider, her ears flicked forward with concern and nostrils flaring.

All eyes rested on Jack and Maddie; the cacophony of men’s voices raged all around him as they demanded for an explanation. Most were outraged, others were scared. As the shouting escalated into an overwhelming roar, the door of the general store banged open. Bonnie emerged, looking perturbed.

“What in God’s name is all that noise?” Her irritation morphed into horror the instant she laid eyes on Jack and her injured friend who leaned heavily against him. “OH, MY DEAR LORD! WHAT HAPPENED?!” She raced forward; the men around Jack parted to make a path for her.

Jack holstered Maddie’s gun and kept his arm wrapped around his overseer as he attempted to dismount slowly. Bonnie backed up to allow him some room; she stretched her arms upward, hovering her hands in front of Maddie in case she began to fall. Jack hopped to the ground and immediately turned back to Maddie. He caught her just as she was about to slip off the saddle and fall to the ground. He adjusted his hold on her by wrapping one arm under her knees and the other around her back.

“Jack, talk to me!” Bonnie demanded. “What the hell happened out there?”

“Cattle rustlers tried to take the herd. Maddie was able to take down most of them, but she got shot and I took care of the rest. The herd’s still out there, Bonnie, but I had to bring Maddie back. She’s bleeding really bad.”

“Right.” She turned and pointed at the nearest ranch hand. “You! Round up as many men as you can and saddle up. Get the herd back here safely, and salvage whatever you can off the rustlers.” She turned to another man and pointed at him. “And you! Take care of these horses.”

As the men dispersed and carried out her orders, Bonnie turned back to Jack and said, “Follow me.” She walked briskly around the store toward the doctor’s office. Jack followed, being careful not to jostle Maddie around. As he and Bonnie walked into the doctor’s office, the middle-aged man abruptly stood up from behind his desk.

“My God,” he breathed as he came around the desk. “What in the hell happened?”

“Cattle rustlers,” Jack explained.

The doctor gestured to the operating table that was against the left wall. Jack laid Maddie gently down and stood back to give the doctor some room. With Bonnie’s help, he took off Maddie’s duster and shirt. Jack’s heart skipped a beat when he saw her bare torso; his face flushed as his eyes fell on her brassier. He cleared his throat and turned away.

Once her torso was exposed, the doctor began examining her bullet wound before he bustled about gathering his tools. He snatched up his supplies, including a roll of bandages, a small bag of flour, and sat them on top of his desk.

“Where’s Ira, Joshua, and Bill?” Bonnie asked as she took off Maddie’s boots.

Jack lowered his gaze to the floor. “They didn’t make it.”

She stared at him with her mouth agape. Across from her, the doctor began pouring flour onto her wounds to help stop the bleeding.

The room became enveloped by a painful silence, save for Maddie’s labored breathing as the doctor began stitching up her shoulder.

Jack looked up and, being careful not to let his eyes wander, met gazes with Maddie. “How you doin’, miss?”

Through her exhaustion and excruciation, she glared over at him. “ _How else_ do you think I’m doin’?”

Bonnie glanced over at Jack and offered, “Why don’t you just wait outside? This shouldn’t take too long.”

“No,” Maddie interjected, looking from Bonnie to Jack. “Go do your chores for the night. Someone needs to get to them, even after everything that’s happened today. Get to it, Marston, and leave me be while I still have some dignity.”

Jack blinked. “But, Maddie, I just can’t leave you here like¾”

“Go, I said!” The exertion of her command sapped the energy from her, and she closed her eyes as she did her best not to move while the doctor finished with her shoulder.

Jack stood frozen in place, with one boot was facing the doorway and the other towards Maddie. He looked from Maddie to the door and back. In earnest, he looked at Bonnie for some sense of solace.

Bonnie nodded. “Go on, Jack. She’ll be fine. I’ll catch up with you later.”

Jack hesitated a moment longer to look Maddie over one more time before he turned and walked outside.

 

*             *             *

 

It was dark by the time Jack had taken care of the animals and helped the other ranch hands tend to the cattle and their fallen comrades’ horses. The men Bonnie sent out had rounded up the herd and brought back Ira, Bill, and Joshua on their horses. The guns, ammo, and other supplies looted from the rustlers wasn’t much, but it was enough to increase the supply in the general store by a considerable amount, and the ten ownerless horses were added to the herd in the corral. Jack made sure he didn’t see the three ranch hands’ bodies as they were carried off to be cleaned, wrapped up, and stored in one of the supply sheds. In no time at all, he headed toward the doctor’s office.

He was surprised to find Bonnie standing outside the doorway. She stood leaning against the threshold, her body silhouetted by the light from within the building. She grinned tiredly as he approached.

“Evenin’, Bonnie.”

“Evenin’, Jack. Are the chores done?”

He nodded. “I did what I could, even though everything was pretty much done by the time I got to helping out.” He looked over her shoulder. “How’s Maddie doin’? Is she all right?”

Bonnie nodded. “She’s asleep in the back room.”

“Can…Can I see her?”

Bonnie pushed herself off the threshold and waved him in. She led the way to the back room. It was cluttered with stacks of medicinal tools and supplies, as well as an assortment of books and other artifacts. Jack didn’t pay attention to any of that as he looked over the sleeping beauty lying peacefully in the small bed. The covers were pulled up to her chest. She laid on her back, her right hand lying on top of the covers and resting on her stomach, while her left arm was lying stiffly by her side. Her long hair fanned out across the pillow like a dark halo. He’d never seen her so angelic; he was captivated by her.

He was jostled out of his enchantment when Bonnie nudged him in the side with her elbow and murmured, “Come on, let’s leave her be for the night. She’s gonna need all the rest she can get to help her heal.”

As they walked back out into the quiet night, Jack asked, “Will she be all right? She took those bullets like a man, but they sure ripped her up somethin’ fierce.” He stopped alongside her in front of the building.

“She’ll be just fine,” Bonnie chuckled. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “She’s been shot many times over, but I think what those cattle rustlers hurt most today was her pride. She’s very head-strong, if you haven’t figured that out already, and sometimes it gets the best of her.”

Jack shook his head. “She almost got killed today. She’s got grit, I’ll give her that, but she’s also an _idiot_. One day her bullheadedness will get the best of her, and she’ll end up payin’ for her foolishness.”

Bonnie sighed and nodded in dismal agreement. She looked him over with a sad frown. “You look beat.” She motioned to the sheriff’s office with a jerk of her head. “You should go get some rest. It’s been a long day. I think I’m gonna turn in as well.”

“Yes, Miss MacFarlane. I’ve had enough for one day.”

She beckoned him to follow as she started walking toward the sheriff’s office. Jack fell into step behind her in an ethereal trance. Before he knew it, he was turning around in his cell to face Bonnie.

He was taken off guard when she suddenly embraced him. He grunted with surprise and discomfort, dumbfounded by her unexpected means of affection. A shaky sigh escaped her.

“I’m so glad you’re all right, Jack.”

It took a while for him to respond and return the embrace, but when he did, a warm wave of appreciation and love washed over his heart. He wrapped his arms around her, feeling accepted by her at last, and he whispered back, “Thank you.”


	7. By Way of Sorrow

**Chapter Track:** “By Way of Sorrow” – The Wailin’ Jennys

 

Morning came too soon for the people of MacFarlane ranch. Hardly any birds sang their cheery tunes; the livestock barely uttered a sound as the morning chores began. A heavy mournful air hung over the ranch like fog.

Jack awoke in his cell bed in a bleak state of mind; he was confused and crushed by the hollow, ragged hole he felt in his chest and soul. He barely knew the three men that died yesterday, and as if his guilt wasn’t enough, he felt less of an accomplished man. The past month had been an upward battle in his climb for honor, and now, even as he felt so near the top, his grip had slipped on a jagged rock and he had fallen back to the very bottom, bruised and battered. The events of the other day repeated relentlessly in his mind’s eye.

He wasn’t surprised to see Bonnie¾dressed in black, no less, and carrying a black suit over her shoulder¾as she came into the sheriff’s office to unlock his cell door; he knew Maddie wouldn’t have been strong enough to do it.

“Mornin’, Bonnie,” he murmured as he sat up in bed. He flung back the covers with a flick of his hand. “How are you feelin’? How’s Maddie doin’?” He swung his legs out from under the sheets and stood up.

She scoffed and shook her head as she returned the skeleton key to her breast pocket. She didn’t make eye contact with him as she stepped back to give him room to walk out. Her voice came out in a pained, hushed undertone. “It’s not the greatest morning I’ve had, I’ll tell you that much. Maddie’s doin’ fine. She’s a little weak and can’t move around much, but she’s doin’ well enough for someone who’s been shot twice.” She gestured for him to come forward. “You’ll need to get your chores done as soon as possible. The funeral starts at nine o’clock, and I want everyone to be done with their work, at least most of it, so we can all honor them properly.”

Jack nodded. “Sure thing, miss. But…am I even allowed to attend?”

Bonnie locked eyes with him for the first time that day. “Jack Marston, _why on earth_ would you say that? _Of course_ you’re allowed to attend! Why wouldn’t you be?”

He shrugged as he walked out of his cell. “Well, would you want the person responsible for their deaths to attend the funeral? I certainly wouldn’t.” He headed for the door to get to his morning chores.

She caught his arm and held him back. She looked into his eyes when he glanced back at her, and she said tenderly, “You’re not responsible for any of this, Jack. Don’t take the blame for something you didn’t do.” She handed him the black suit she held over her shoulder and added, “After you get done with chores, change into this. It’s one of Nathaniel’s suits, but it should fit you well enough for the funeral.”

He frowned as he took the suit from her and hung it on the cell door before walking outside. She followed him, and when he stepped out to face the dreary day, she departed from his side to prepare for the service. As he labored through his chores alongside the silent ranch hands, he couldn’t help but let his self-inflicted guilt eat away at him like a parasite feasting upon its host. The deaths of Joshua, Bill, and Ira struck deep within him, and despite all the horrid things he’d done in the past month, despite the fifteen people he’d murdered, the massacre of his former co-workers plunged him into an insatiable black well of bereavement. He went through the motions of his morning routine, not really seeing what he was doing.

When it came time for the funeral service to begin, he lingered behind as he carried several square hay bales into the horse corral. He chucked the bales a few feet in front of him and picked up the baling twine after it broke. As the herd gathered around him and ate their fill, he was taken by surprise when someone shouted at him from behind.

“What are you doin’, Marston? Stop dinkin’ around and go change into that suit!”

He turned around and felt his jaw drop. Maddie stood on the other side of the fence, looking rather annoyed and in a considerable amount of pain. Her vest, shirt, and pants were all black; her outfit was complete with her black duster and hat. Her hair was pulled back into a braid. She leaned against a cane, still favoring her right leg badly, and she kept her left arm tucked close to her side.

“You deaf or somethin’? Get goin’, or you’ll be late!”

“Why should I attend? I have no right to be there with everyone else. They all hate me, now that three of their best men are dead and I rode in here last night with you bleedin’ all over me and my saddle and holdin’ your gun in my hand. What would they think if I were to show up? What good’s that gonna do for everyone?”

She stared at him with an appalled countenance. “What? They all _respect_ you now, not hate you! The fact that you came back and told Bonnie what happened instead of getting’ on your horse and leavin’ me out there to bleed out says quite a lot. Do not think your work has been in vain; we all saw firsthand how you manned up and took the reins after something atrocious happened. You acted honorably, just like the incident with the horse thief, which surprised the hell out of us all. Everyone sees you differently. Think about that the next time you wanna open your mouth and say such stupid things. Now come on. We don’t wanna be late.”

“Right. Sorry.” He walked briskly out of the corral and closed the gate behind him. He caught up with her within several long strides and fell into the slow, painful gait she limped as she led him back to the sheriff’s office. He noticed how much effort it took for her to move, as well as the exasperated, agonized visage that scrunched up her beautiful face. “Are you sure you’re gonna be okay to go? You look like you’ve been to hell and back, Maddie.” He brought up a hand towards her waist. “Do you need any¾?”

“Don’t even _think_ about askin’ me if I need help,” she shot back, giving him a warning glare out of the corner of her eye. “I’m just fine, princess. I’ve been shot at least half a dozen times. I can get along _just fine_ on my own.”

He withdrew his hand as they came up to the sheriff’s office. _Christ alive_ , he thought with a roll of his eyes. _Why does she have to be so headstrong? She’s bein’ a fool if she thinks she’s just fine limpin’ around the way she is. She looks absolutely miserable._

Maddie waited outside as he went into his cell and changed. It didn’t take him long to figure it out, seeing as he had never worn a suit before, but he didn’t know how to tie a tie. Uncertain, he carried the tie in his hand as he stepped out of his cell. He couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable and inadequate: the suit fit him well, but he certainly didn’t feel himself in it. Nevertheless, he stepped outside and stood before Maddie, feeling his face flush with embarrassment and a quaint frown pulling at the corners of his mouth.

“Damn, Marston!”

“What?”

She looked him up and down. “You know, for bein’ a grungy bastard, you clean up surprisingly well.”

“Um…thanks…?”

She rolled her eyes when she noticed the black tie hanging from his right hand. “Oh, good God, princess. Give me that.” She ripped the tie out of his hand and stepped closer to him. “Hold still. I’m not gonna choke you or anything…unless you piss me off and prompt me to do that.”

Jack stood rigid and lifted his chin as she wrapped the tie around his neck and began tying it. He looked off to the side, avoiding eye contact with her as she primped him.

Maddie shook her head and sighed as she worked her magic. “It’s like you’ve never worn a suit before or something…but then again, I wouldn’t expect much of you anyways.”

He snorted as he glanced down at her. “I’ve never had the occasion to wear a suit. That, and I just don’t care to own one.”

She chuckled as she finished with the tie. “I stand by my previous statement, boy.” She adjusted the collar of his shirt and his jacket before she stepped back to look him over. “There. You look like a gentleman…well, as well as you’ll ever be.”

“Thanks,” he responded as he looked her in the eyes. He could’ve sworn he saw a flash of what looked like an affectionate gleam in her brown ovals, but then she looked away. Jack cleared her throat and asked, “Why do you never wear women’s clothes? You afraid of looking too feminine, or what?”

She blinked several times before answering, “It just suits me better. Bonnie wanted me to wear one of her black dresses today, and I took one look at it and said, ‘Hell no’. Don’t get me wrong, dresses are nice and all, but they sure as hell don’t go well with me.”

“You might be able to pull off a dress, Maddie. You never know. I’m wearin’ a suit right now, and I thought I’d never wear one in my life, much less supposedly look good in one…but here we are.”

“Well, you do…surprisingly.”

He looked away over in the direction of the funeral as he felt his cheeks redden. He motioned over to the gathering crowd of ranch hands with a jerk of his head and said, “Come on. Let’s head over there so we won’t be late.”

Without another word, she led the way to the funeral service.

The men and women of the ranch had gathered behind the barn, right underneath the large oak tree that neared the edge of the property. Everyone donned black clothing: the women wore veils and held handkerchiefs to their faces as they wept; the men wore their finest suits and held their bowler hats in their hands. Three holes had been dug beneath the shade of the tree; a wagon and horse sat somberly waiting nearby with the three coffins in tow. Bonnie stood alongside her father Drew and her husband Nathaniel before the large gathering crowd of ranch hands, who had all congregated into a half-circle around the funeral. Conversation had all but ceased to exist; only the sigh of the breeze across the plains and through the leaves could be heard.

Jack was surprised to finally see Bonnie’s husband; he hadn’t seen him once since he came to the ranch. He was uncommonly handsome in his black tailored suit, with short black hair and a neat beard and mustache. He emitted a strong aura of silent but obedient consent from all who looked upon him. He was educated, logical, and a portrait of steadfast masculinity. A part of this man’s character unnerved him; if he had been wearing his pistol, he would’ve placed a wary hand on it. _What does Bonnie see in this man? He’s just…so different from her._

Nathaniel, Drew, and Bonnie greeted him and Maddie with small nods and weak grins of acknowledgement. Drew was the first to offer his hand to him and begin the pleasantries.

“It’s good to have you here with us, Jack,” he murmured in his deep, booming voice.

Jack took his hand and shook it. “Thank you, Mister MacFarlane. How have you been? It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”

“I’m doin’ well enough,” Drew replied. “I’m gettin’ along in my years, but I do what I can. I’m glad my daughter has the same spirit and work ethic as I did when I was her age; otherwise, this ranch would’ve been run down by now.” He glanced proudly at his daughter before he looked back at Jack and rested a meaty hand on his shoulder. “You look better since the last time I saw you. Hell, that’s been _months_ ago now, but I’m glad you’re finally gettin’ back on your feet after all that Bonnie’s told me about you. It’s good to see you, Jack.”

“You, too, sir. Thank you.”

Drew turned to Maddie and embraced her in an engulfing hug. She seemed ridiculously small in his arms. “Thank God you’re all right, Maddie,” he said softly. “If I would’ve lost you yesterday, it would be like losin’ Bonnie.”

“It takes a hell of a lot more to get rid of me,” she responded as they released each other. She gave him a comforting grin and patted his arms. “You know as well as I do I don’t go down without a fight.”

“But you’re not invincible, Maddie,” Jack added softly, his eyes fixating on her wounds.

She turned to him and lifted her chin defiantly. “I know that.”

He cocked an eyebrow, unconvinced. “Do you?”

The menacing glare she gave him shut him up and shun her seething gaze. Instead, he looked to Nathaniel, who stood at Drew’s left, and offered a hand to him.

“It’s good to see you, Nathaniel,” he offered, extending his hand toward the quiet, cold man. “Haven’t seen you in a long while. What you been up to?”

The man looked at him like that of a despicable creature; the corner of his lip curled up in slight disgust, and his blue eyes iced over with distrust. He hesitated to shake Jack’s hand and meet gazes with him, but he did so nonetheless. The words seemed forced from his thin lips as he replied, “Business has been rather slow at the moment with the threat of those cattle rustlers about. However, now that they’ve been dealt with, I imagine things will pick back up and I can return to my bookkeeping and figures. I suppose we have you to thank for that.”

“Hey, he wasn’t the only one to liberate the ranchers around these parts,” Maddie pitched in, her voice growing dark as she looked at Nathaniel with as much disgust as he had when he looked at Jack. “Need I remind you all of us here at the ranch work hard so that you don’t have to? Joshua, Ira, and Bill knew of such things, and they lived their lives well. Give credit where it’s due, not just to one man, but to _all of us_ here at _Bonnie’s_ ranch.”

The air between them was shrouded with an invisible thundercloud, darkening the mood with the threat of a torrential argument. The icy silence nearly sent a lightning strike of words, if not fists, between the man and woman, and if it weren’t for Bonnie speaking up when she did, there would’ve surely been a fight. Bonnie stepped between them and said, “Come on, now. It’s time for the service to begin. Let’s not waste our time with such useless conversation when we should be honoring our friends.”

The hatred between Maddie and Nathaniel lingered. Jack had to pull her away. It only took a moment for her to regain her self-control and stifle her hubris, and when she did, she shrugged his hand off her shoulder and walked off toward the opposite side of the crowd, as far away from Nathaniel as possible. When they were out of earshot, Jack leaned in and murmured, “What was that all about?”

She glared down at her boots, keeping her weight on her left leg and grimacing all the while, whether out of pain or anger he did not know. “Nathaniel and I have never much gotten along well,” she whispered back with a voice like venom. “He’s a lazy, well-to-do prick who thinks he’s above everyone else. And he isn’t the man I’d like to see married to Bonnie; he’s hardly here on the ranch, and when he is, he walks around acting like he owns the place. Sure, Bonnie and him are married, but everyone around here doesn’t call her Mrs. Jones, and he sure as hell hasn’t earned his spurs to be considered a part of this place, anyway. He’s in Blackwater most of the time anyways, dealing with the affairs of the ranch…among other things.” She looked up at him. “I can bet you any kind of money he’s doin’ more than just “bookkeeping”.”

“What, are you suggesting he… _cheats_ on Bonnie?”

She nodded curtly. “He’s a lyin’ son of a bitch, and if I ever find out if my assumptions are correct, I will _not_ hesitate to castrate that bastard and make him eat his own manhood.”

“Somehow, I don’t doubt that,” Jack chuckled darkly. “But how can you be so sure?”

“He’s _never_ around,” Maddie countered, “and when he is, he’s hardly the caring, devoted husband Bonnie tells herself he is. A husband should _always_ be there for his wife and treat her like a queen, not abandon her to go off to a town a day’s ride away to “work”. I _hate_ seein’ Bonnie so alone and sad most of the time, and it’s his goddamn fault! She doesn’t show it, and she sure as hell doesn’t accept it, but the truth is right there in front of her and she won’t fuckin’ bring herself to see it! Someday, the truth will out, and when it does, it’s gonna _crush_ her.”

Jack opened his mouth to answer, but he closed it and looked up as the funeral began. Bonnie stood before the crowd, her hands folded in front of her and her gaze drifting from person to person. She looked lost for words for the speech she was about to give. She began hesitantly:

“We’re all gathered here today to honor the three brave men we lost yesterday, all three of which we knew were some of the best and brightest workers here on this ranch. Anyone standin’ before me can vouch for how good these men were, and to see their lives end in such tragedy is beyond the count of grief for all of us here. Joshua came to this ranch a starvin’, unemployed orphan, but we helped him get back on his feet, and he was as happy as ever to be here on the ranch and become a part of our family. Bill was…well, Bill. He yammered and questioned to no end, as we all know, but he was the sharpest man ever to date. And Ira…oh, brave Ira…He came lookin’ for work after his tribe was killed and found his place amongst us, despite the color of his skin. All three were great men, full of spirit and unanswered questions that, in the end, just faded away from knowledge. And so today, we lay these men to rest and honor them the best way we know how.”

She stepped back to join her husband and father, allowing one of the ranch hands to step forward. He held a Bible in his hands, and though he wasn’t dressed for the part, he began to read from the Holy Book.

“In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit…”

The instant the preacher began, Jack felt himself tuning out. God and religion seemed pointless to him now; with so much death and heartache that had occurred to him, and that he had caused, it was almost impossible for him to not become an atheist. _As if Jesus and all that matters now_ , he thought with a sour frown on his lips. He stood beside Maddie with his hands intertwined neatly in front of him and his head bowed. _How can these people believe in such things and read such a book? What’s the point of it all if everything comes to a bitter end? Here I am, alive and well, standing before these three dead men who died horrible deaths and were as innocent as anyone could be, especially Joshua, and I wasn’t even shot or hurt or nothin’._ He shook his head. _Why wasn’t I killed? If God exists, then why didn’t he have me die as a way of penance for all the bad shit I’ve done? It should’ve been me to die out there on the prairie instead of Bill, Joshua, and Ira._

So consumed in his grief and self-pity was Jack that he didn’t realize the group of mourners had dispersed, and he was the last man standing before the graves. The coffins had been buried, the grave-markers driven into the ground, and the flowers laid on top of the mounds of dirt. He gasped when he felt a tear run down his cheek; he quickly wiped the side of his face with the back of his hand and cleared his throat.

Soft footsteps approached. Maddie came to stand by his left side. “You okay, Jack?” she asked quietly.

He sniffed and kept his gaze locked on the graves. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“You didn’t look too fine during the funeral. You looked as if you were lost in some faraway memory.”

He kept silent, unable to respond as a hard lump formed in his throat. He tried to swallow it down, but it refused to budge.

The wind sighed all around them, making the leaves and branches sway. Somewhere, the birds had begun to sing. A horse trumpeted a loud neigh. Footfalls and small-talk drifted to their ears as the ranch hands continued with chores. All around them, time moved on. Nature had briefly halted for the funeral, but now life had to continue, and it did.

Jack glanced over at her. “Are you okay? You got shot up pretty bad yesterday.”

She gave him a reassuring grin. “I’ve been shot many times over, Jack. It’s nothing I’ve never been able to handle.” She sighed greatly as she looked down at the graves before them. “They were such good men. I’m gonna miss them.”

He couldn’t bring himself to speak; there was nothing he could say at that moment, even if he wanted to.

“You know, I’ve seen men die before, and it’s somethin’ you get used to, bein’ a bounty hunter and all, but… this just hurts, ya know?”

He nodded.

“But then again, I don’t have to tell you that. You know death better than most.”

He snorted. “Yeah, that ain’t no shit. I’ve seen it, I’ve experienced it, and I’ve caused it.”

To this, she had no response. She remained silent as they stood together and stared at the graves.

“It’s all my fault.”

She furrowed her eyebrows. “How do you figure?”

“I didn’t have my guns with me, and you got shot, and they got gunned down like mangy coyotes. If I would’ve been armed, none of this would’ve happened. You would be just fine, and Ira, Bill, and Joshua would be alive right now.”

To his surprise, she placed her right hand on his shoulder and said softly, “Hey, don’t go beatin’ yourself up for somethin’ that wasn’t your fault to begin with. None of us could’ve known when those cattle rustlers were gonna show up, neither did we know how the outcome of it all would be. You of all people should know that things happen out of nowhere, and most of the time, it ends rather poorly. Same thing happened yesterday. It just happened to end in a horrible way. Like you said, ‘We can do nothing for them now’.”

He shook his head, sickened at himself. “It’s like death follows me everywhere I go. First it was my parents, then the fourteen people I gunned down, and now these three.” He gestured to the graves with an upturned palm.

“Oh, please. It’s not like you’re one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. You aren’t riding around on a pale horse and killing everything in sight. Come on, boy. You’re blowin’ this out of proportion.”

He looked her in the eyes with absolute sincerity. “Am I? Is it some sort of coincidence that a lot of people have died around me? Isn’t it strange how I’ve been here only a month and people are dropping like flies? I swear, it’s like I’m cursed or something.”

She grabbed his shoulder and shook him lightly. “Oh, enough of that. You’re talkin’ old wives’ tales, that’s all. This isn’t all smoke and mirrors, Jack. You know that. This is life, and this is death. This is as real as it’s ever gonna get.”

_“You’re missing the point, Maddie!”_ he shouted, turning to face her fully. He waved his right hand to the three graves. “ _This_ is what happens when I’m around! I. Kill. People. You said so yourself I am a bastard outlaw who enjoys killing people. Well, I do, don’t I? I might not have killed them directly, but I was there when they were gunned down. _Joshua died in my arms, for Christ’s sake!_ The look that he gave me is something I’ll NEVER be able to get out of my head! And I watched Ira die right alongside with you, so don’t pretend that’s something you’ll be able to shake off so easily! And Bill…well, a bullet to the head isn’t something that’s pretty to watch! I’ll bet you any kind of money if I wasn’t there yesterday, none of this would’ve happened!”

“And I can bet _you_ any kind of money that you’re becomin' hysterical and talkin’ nonsense. Now stop this ruckus and calm down.”

“But you’re not _listening_ to what I’m _saying!_ If I wouldn’t have never been there in th¾”

She seized him roughly by the shoulder with her right hand and declared, “Jack, just shut it! _It’s_ _not your fault!_ It never _was_ your fault, so don’t waste your time taking the blame for something that you _did not_ do!”

He looked off to the side out of shame and embarrassment.

“Jack, look at me,” she commanded. When he didn’t, she grabbed his face and turned his head, forcing him to look back at her. She looked him deep in the eyes, her own burning with absolution and compassion as she continued, “Listen to me. You’re looking at this all wrong. Think back to when you brought me back at the ranch. That was a good deed; you acted honorably, as I mentioned before. If it weren’t for you, I’d be buried right alongside these three men. _People die every day, Jack._ You of all people should know that fact. And you of all people should know how to handle death, or at least I _thought_ you could. I guess I was wrong, because what you’re doin’ right now is actin’ stupid. You’re lettin’ it get to you too much when you should be getting over it; you’re over-thinkin’ things when it should all stay simple. I know you can get over this, Marston; I know you can put on the tough guy mask and pretend like you’re made of stone. Trust me, I can tell. So here’s what I want you to do: you’re gonna man up, get over it, and move on with life. You’re gonna concentrate on your work, and honor their memory by living by their example and becoming a good role model for other people. Can you do that for me?”

He bowed his head. “Yes.”

She nodded approvingly and released him. “That’s a good man, Jack.” She took a step back. “And you’re right: you _should’ve_ been given your guns, but we couldn’t trust you…until now.”

His expression morphed from confusion to shock as she bequeathed to him a rather shabby-looking Cattleman Revolver in a ragged holster from an inner pocket of her duster. He slowly took it from her. “Maddie, what…?”

She held up a hand to silence him before explaining, “Because of your new-found appreciation and respect for life, as demonstrated in these past two days, I have decided I can trust you with a gun. You know when to take a life, obviously, but now it is out of better judgment. Now, you aren’t actin’ out of spite and random blood-lust. Your act of bravery and good instinct is why I’m gonna let you use this revolver. As you continue to prove your loyalty and worthiness, I’ll eventually upgrade you to your firearms, but until such time has come, you will be using this. See, even though we’ve lost some of our best men, and even though things have gone awry, you have come by way of sorrow to learn a lesson on mortality, and therefore have a new-found respect and appreciation for the life you live, as well as the lives of others around you.” Her face grew grim as she warned, “ _However_ …I hope I never have to take this back from you, Jack. It would be a shame if I were to apprehend you again over the misuse of your weapon. And if you’re going to be helping me out with bounties, you’re gonna need to get some target practice in.”

“What?”

She nodded. “That’s right. You’re gonna be helpin’ me with bounties very soon, most likely in a few weeks.” She nodded down at her leg and arm with a disappointed frown. “We’d be riding out within the next few days if it weren’t for my unfortunate injuries, but give me at least a couple weeks and I’ll be ready to go. Then we’ll ride out and bag your first bounty.”

“ _My_ first bounty?” he questioned as he strapped on his gun.

She nodded. “I called the sheriff in Armadillo and talked to him about this. He has agreed to let this happen on account that you bring in a bounty for every person you’ve killed. A life for a life. It’s only fair.”

“Oh…”

“Not to mention you owe Bonnie money. She bailed you out of jail, you know. You owe her a thousand dollars, plus the cost of clothes and food she’s provided for you, as well as boarding your nag in the barn. You must pay her back, boy. You know this.”

“In bounty money, no less?”

“Yes. You must pay for everything in this world one way or another. We must each of us bear our own misfortunes.”

“Christ, do I know it,” he chuckled to himself.

A long paused ensued between them as their gazes returned to the graves.

“They were gonna hang you, you know,” Maddie said quietly, looking at him out of the corner of her eye as she unbraided her hair. “Right in front of every family you’ve ruined.” She ran a quick hand through her long locks, combing lazily through it before pocketing the black ribbon that had bound it back.

“I know,” he murmured back, bowing his head and letting the wind finger through his long hair. He chuckled darkly. “You’re probably wishin’ they would have: it would’ve saved you and Bonnie a hell of a lot of trouble. I _am_ quite the worthless son of a bitch, you know.”

“That isn’t entirely true, Marston.” She gave him a quirky smile. “You’re doing my chores for me, plus it’s nice to boss around a greenhorn and whip you into shape whenever necessary.”

He rolled his eyes. “Why, thank you, Miss Maddie. You sure do know how to make a man tear up.”

She snorted through her nose before she looked him over with a curious look. “Do you regret it?”

“Regret what?” he asked, locking eyes with her.

“Killing all those people a month back.”

His gaze drifted down to the graves. His fingers fiddled with the bottom of the suit jacket; the wind seemed to intensify as it began to toss about his hair and the leaves above him. “Yes and no.”

She blinked. “Why no?”

A troubled frown pulled down the corners of his mouth as he thought how best to word his explanation. “A part of me still thinks what I did was justified, you know, killing all those lawmen. But…”

She limped closer to him. “But?”

He lifted his gaze up to the graves and sighed greatly. “But I see these graves, and it makes me think of how frail life is, that all of this has been in vain…that it was all just a waste.”

“And the woman? Do you regret killing her?”

“Absolutely,” he said as he looked into her eyes. “She was innocent…and I killed her like it was nothing.” He shrugged pitifully. “I guess I _am_ my father’s son.”

Maddie half-turned, half-limped back around, facing the barn and the rest of the ranch, and nudged his arm with hers. “Come on, Marston. We’ve got work to do.” As fast as she could muster, she limped forward, her black duster jerking about after her.

“Maddie, wait.”

She stopped and looked back over her shoulder. “Yeah?”

“Does…Does Bonnie think it’s my fault?”

She shrugged and shook her head in response. “I honestly don’t know, Jack. A part of me thinks she blames herself for it…for sending all of us out there and not giving you a gun. You’re not the only one fighting for the rights to be blamed for all this, even if it is all pointless banter.”

He drunk in her words and mulled them over in his mind.

“You need to go talk to her.”

“I don’t think she’d want me to, Maddie. She already seems pretty upset.”

“I know, but still…You should go talk to her. I’ve already thrown in my two cents with her, and she _still_ feels bad. Maybe you could talk some sense into that strong-willed woman. I’ve tried, and even though I’m usually successful, this time has become the exception.”

He nodded. “I’ll try tonight after chores.”

She smiled approvingly. “Good.”

“But only if you’re there with me.”

“Fine. Now let’s get you out of that damn monkey suit.”

 

*             *             *

 

The living room was eerily quiet, save for the sound of strong alcohol being poured into shot glasses. Jack sat on the couch watching the brownish-gold liquid spill into the three glasses sitting in a row on the coffee table before him. He hadn’t given alcohol much thought since he and Maddie walked into the house after chores to confide in and alongside Bonnie. But now, as he looked at the whiskey gleaming brightly before him, drinking didn’t sound like that bad of an idea.

_Why not?_ he thought somberly. _All we can do now is drink to their memory._ He took up the shot glass and threw it back without a sputter at the potency of the drink. It burned pleasantly as it splashed down his throat.

Beside him, Maddie sat staring despondently at her shot as well, her elbows resting heavily on her knees and her hair falling down her back and shoulders like a curtain of sorrow. She had tugged her hat down so low all Jack could see of her face was her nose, pursed lips, and small, round chin. Mechanically, she reached out and took the shot glass in between her index finger and thumb. She threw it back like it was nothing more than water. Wearily, she banged the glass back down on the table and leaned back in the couch with a mournful sigh.

Across from him and Maddie, Bonnie flinched and looked up at her silent companion. “Maddie, don’t go dentin’ my coffee table. Otherwise, I’ll have you make me a new one.” Like her companions did before her, she hoisted up her shot glass and downed it without a cough.

Maddie nodded ever so slightly. It was barely a movement of recognition on her part; she didn’t look to be in a listening mood, much less be completely there when spoken to.

Bonnie refilled the glasses before setting the bottle back down on the coffee table. “It’s too bad Daddy turned in early tonight. He would’ve had a drink or two with us.”

“It’s a good thing that Drew’s in bed, Bonnie,” Maddie spoke up, sitting up on the couch as she reached for her glass. She picked it up and added, “This day has been especially hard on him. He hired all three of those men himself, and he’s watched them grow like you and I have on the ranch. Sometime soon, we should all go to bed as well. Lord knows we need it.”

Jack and Bonnie shared accepting nods and glances. A somber silence grew between the trio; they kept themselves busy by taking shots and staring off into space in different directions.

“So Nathaniel went back to Blackwater, I suppose?” Maddie asked suddenly, her voice growing cold. She looked at Bonnie with a blank expression and waited for her assumptions to be proven true.

To her and Jack’s surprise, Bonnie shook her head and replied softly, “No, he’s asleep upstairs. He’s agreed to stay with me for a couple more days. He understands it’s going to be a tough time for me and for all of us here on the ranch.”

Maddie gave a bemused snort as she looked at the empty glass in her hands. “I’m shocked that he’s stayin’ for such a long time. Usually, he’s in such a hurry to head back to that bustlin’ town.” She flicked her gaze up to watch Bonnie closely, waiting for any signs of reaction.

“Nathaniel isn’t the devil incarnate, Maddie,” Bonnie said, her blonde eyebrows narrowing over her puffy eyes. She had been crying earlier but hadn’t admitted to it. “He’s a better husband than you care to acknowledge or give credit for.”

Maddie didn’t answer, though it was apparent she wanted to say something back. She sat the shot glass down on the table and crossed her right leg over her left.

“Well, it’s good that he’s stayin’ with you,” Jack said. He felt the need to say something, especially after how quickly the atmosphere changed between the women. “A husband needs to be with his wife, especially in times such as this.”

Maddie fidgeted in her seat and bit down on her lip. She sniffed loudly and looked off to the side.

“Besides, it’s good that everyone will be together during all this.”

“And I am grateful for that,” Bonnie replied. She picked up the bottle of whiskey and filled Maddie’s glass, as well as her own. “Jack, do you…?” She paused, flicking her gaze up at him before shrugging and finishing with a scoff, “You’re a Marston. Never mind.” As she poured him a shot, Jack chortled and nodded in amused compliance.

As the three took another round and sat in the resigned reticence, the night waxed and waned outside; the cries and wails of nocturnal creatures became the ambiance of the dark world; the silvery moon and never-ending sheet of stars above were like night lights. All was still: even the wind had died down to no more than a whisper, an echo of what it was before during the day. A chill began to settle over the land. Autumn was fast approaching, and it was making its presence known to all that night.

The occasional sniff and despairing sigh interrupted the painful silence in the house; Jack couldn’t help but look the two women over with an aching heart and a helpless frown. Tears welled in Bonnie’s blue eyes, her lower lip trembled, and she continued to run her hands over her face. Bags pulled down at her face from under her eyes. Maddie slouched heavily on the couch, her hat and hair still obscuring most her face from his sight. Occasionally, her lip would tremble. She played it off by clearing her throat.

She stood up abruptly, bringing herself up using only her left leg. She fished out a cigar and matches from one of the inner pockets of her duster.

“Maddie?” Bonnie spoke up, her voice tight with sadness. She wiped tears away with her hand as she looked up at her friend. “What are you…?”

“I’m gonna go have a smoke.”

“You want some company?” Jack asked hesitantly. He leaned forward in his seat, ready to stand by her side the instant she consented.

She shook her head. “No, I think I’ll sit outside by myself for a while, if you don’t mind.”

Disappointment ebbed through his heart; however, he nodded and said despondently, “Well, alright, then.” He sat back in the couch and watched her limp across the room.

Her dark hair swayed to a stand-still as she paused and leaned heavily against the threshold. She sighed heavily and pinched the base of her nose to stop the tears from flowing. Her shoulders fell from the force of her exhale. A miniscule sob escaped her; she cleared her throat loudly as she limped out onto the porch. The moonlight silhouetted her in a dreary light as she made her way over to the rocking chair. Her boots resounded out into the quiet night like gunshots; her spurs clinked with every limping step. She grabbed the chair with both hands to steady herself as she turned her body halfway around. The chair creaked as she sat down. She inhaled sharply through clenched teeth when she accidentally put weight on her injured leg; she had haphazardly used it to steady herself into the chair…but with repercussions. She panted at the flare, but once she was settled and calm, she breathed slowly before lighting her cigar and taking a few soothing puffs. The bluish-grey smoke swirled and danced in the air around her before eventually dissipating.

Jack watched her intently, fascinated by her emotional strength. _But she has_ got _to be feelin’ miserable at least_ , he thought. _There’s no way she’s that strong…or is she? Hell, she’s the toughest woman I’ve ever met, but even the strongest people have weak points._ To prove himself right, he concentrated on what little of her face he could see. Her lips quivered as she opened them to place the cigar back into her mouth. She seemed desperate to keep herself busy. When she released the smoke, it streamed out in front of her as she exhaled harshly.

_If only I could make you feel better_ , he thought with a small sigh and a shake of his head. He tore his eyes away from her long enough to glance back at Bonnie. He motioned to Maddie with a nod and whispered, “Will she be okay?”

Bonnie nodded, once again wiping her eyes. She sniffled loudly before answering, “She’s tougher than anyone I know. I don’t really remember ever seeing her cry, but if I ever did, I’m pretty sure it was next to nothing.”

He looked from Maddie to Bonnie and back. “Has she always been so tough?”

She nodded as she stood up and walked over to him. She sat down beside him on the couch and peered out at Maddie as well. “For as long as I’ve known her, yeah, she has been. She’s been through a lot.” She shook her head with pity. “The poor girl.”

“She sort of told me yesterday. What happened to her really?” He turned his attention to the older woman; he looked into her blue eyes and waited for an honest answer.

“I shouldn’t be the one to tell you, Jack. It’s not my place, and it certainly isn’t my story.”

“She hasn’t told me everything…just that her ma’s dead and she hates her pa.”

She beckoned him with a nod over to Maddie and breathed, “Go talk to her in about five minutes. Maybe she’ll be in a talking mood by then. Besides, I’m sure she’ll want to hear your story as well. You’ll come to realize just how much you and her are alike. It could shock you, Jack.”

He stared off to the side, not knowing what to say.

Bonnie looked back at her friend with a sudden fondness. A soft smile graced her lips as she said, “She’s helped me so much on my ranch; she’s _such_ a good woman and my best friend. Hell, she might as well be my daughter, and to tell you the truth, I’d gladly adopt her.”

“You already have, Bonnie,” Jack chuckled back. “Hell, you’re like an aunt to me. Don’t forget that you’re a good woman, too. That’s somethin’ that’ll _never_ change.”

She patted his back and gave him an appreciative smirk. “Thank you, Jack. You can be a sweetheart when you want to be.”

Jack lowered his eyes to the floor, bowing his head and intertwining his fingers between his knees. He felt a sudden confession forcing its way up his throat, and he didn’t know how best to word it or how to handle it. “I…I know I haven’t been the best man to work with. I haven’t been treating you or Maddie the best this past month, but…I’ll tell you right now that’s gonna change. You two have certainly earned my respect, so it’s only fair that I give it back. Fair is fair.”

She nodded. “Fair is fair,” she repeated. She wrapped an arm over his shoulders and drew him into a slight hug. “Thank you for understanding, Jack. You might not realize it or acknowledge it, but you’ve grown so much in so little time. Your parents would be very proud of you. I know I am.” She squeezed his shoulders and shook him in a friendly manner.

He beamed up at her. “Thanks, Bonnie.”

The red glow of Maddie’s cigar caught his attention out of the corner of his eye, and he turned his head and stared at her silhouette. White smoke drifted and swarmed mystifyingly around her, catching the moonlight brilliantly and encasing her in a haunting glow. The cherry of the cigar burned brightly in the night, a small, fiery beacon of life in the darkness.

“She reminds me of Ma so much,” he confessed in a whisper. “I…I miss her…And Pa, too.”

Tears streamed down Bonnie’s cheeks as she tightened her embrace around him. “I miss them, too, Jack. They were good people.”

He nodded in reply, not trusting his voice for fear of it cracking. He bit down on his lip as he looked back at Maddie.

Bonnie followed his gaze and sniffed. “She’s just as feisty as your mama was, that’s for sure. She’s like your pa, too: she’s just as deadly with a gun and just as good a rider as he was. And she’s one hell of a hard worker.”

“She’s honorable like he was,” Jack added, his voice a low tremor. He swallowed hard, trying to rid himself of the lump in his throat.

“Yes, she is. That’s why you and her get along so well. Like I said before, you two are a lot alike.”

“I suppose so, Bonnie.” He leaned forward and grabbed the bottle and refilled his glass. He threw back the shot hastily, sighing afterwards and staring at the empty glass with disdain. He spun it around in his hands, thinking on their conversation and marveling at its purity and deepness.

He glanced back up at Maddie and watched her for a time. She had moved her hair to the other side, drawing it over to her right shoulder and draping it down her arm like a half-cloak. Her eyebrows were faintly narrowed over her squinting brown eyes that were glossed over in recollection. Slowly, tears began to flood her eyes.

Jack set the shot glass down on the table and rose to his feet, his eyes never drifting from Maddie. “I’m gonna go have a smoke, too,” he said, even though he had no cigarettes on his person.

Bonnie stood as well, wiping her face yet again. “Good luck, Jack. I think I’m gonna turn in for the night. It’s been a long day.” She pulled him into a tight hug, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face into his shoulder.

Jack returned the hug, patting her back in reassurance. “Good night, Bonnie. Get some sleep.”

“You, too, Jack. Good night.”

They released each other after a lingering moment. Jack watched her wearily climb the stairs before disappearing around the corner. He picked up the bottle of whiskey and two shot glasses and headed outside to join Maddie on the porch.

His boots thumped unbearably loud as he stepped out onto the porch; the front door creaked as loud and eerily as a screech owl’s call. Wincing at the overbearing noises, he came to stand beside her, awkwardly holding the bottle in one hand and the shot glasses in the other. Clearing his throat, he looked down at her and asked softly, “Need a shot?”

She blinked away her tears and uttered, “Sure.” She frowned at the frailty of her response, so she cleared her throat and adjusted herself in her seat. She took a hearty puff of her cigar and let out the smoke slowly.

Jack sat the shot glasses on the porch railing and poured the alcohol into them. He handed her a glass; she took it from him and threw it back hastily. He had to laugh at this as he raised his glass and said, “Cheers,” before taking his shot. His amusement turned to shock when she beckoned for the bottle. Daftly, he gave it to her, only to be amazed when she lifted the bottle to her lips and took several large gulps. She paused to breathe before lifting the bottle once more.

“Wait a minute, ya alcoholic,” he joked as he took it away from her. “Let me have some at least.” Disregarding his shot glass as well, he took a few drinks from the bottle. He gazed down at his somber companion with concern and stepped closer to her. “You feelin’ any better?”

She shook her head. “No,” she breathed, her voice shaking. “But then again, when have I ever felt better?”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing,” she said sharply, her demeanor changing instantly to anger. Her hand shot out and yanked the whiskey bottle out of his grasp faster than Jack could react; she took a drink before he could comprehend. “I knew those men well. They were such good men, all hard workers, and very reliable.” She shook her head before drinking more of the potent alcohol. She held the bottle out to Jack as she murmured, “I’m gonna miss them.”

“I think we all will, Maddie,” he responded as he accepted the whiskey from her. He took a swig and watched her intently out of the corner of his eye.

“It’s always the good people that die the most horrible deaths, that live the shortest lives,” she hissed with an angry shake of her head. “It’s all fuckin’ bullshit, Jack.”

Jack reached around her back and affectionately rested a hand on her right shoulder. “I know, Maddie. It’s unfair, and it hurts. Trust me, I know how life is.”

She glanced down at his hand with a soft grin before she looked back out at the plains with a sour frown. She flicked the stem of ash off the end of her cigar with a tap of her middle finger before hastily bringing the cigar to her mouth and taking several refreshing puffs. She let the smoke fly out of her mouth as she exhaled bitterly. “It’s like their lives meant _nothing_ at all, to be smote so easily from this world in a split second.”

Jack squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. “Maddie, don’t say that. Their lives _did_ matter.”

Maddie stole the bottle from him again and lifted it to her lips.

“Jesus, Maddie!” He snatched it from her and held it beyond her reach. “That’s quite enough! You’re gonna drink yourself sick.”

Her eyes seared his as she hissed, “I’ll do whatever I fuckin’ please, even if it means drinking myself to ruin.” She stood up using only her left leg and stood close to him as she placed her hand back onto the bottle, her hand overlapping Jack’s.

Despite the sudden flip he felt his heart perform, Jack returned the glare and held it further away from her. “Don’t be a fool now, Maddie. You won’t do that to yourself. I’m even gonna make sure of it.”

“Give me that bottle, damn it!”

“What the hell’s it gonna do for ya?” he retorted with a disappointed scowl. “You’re gettin’ a little out of hand here. Just sit back down and relax. Trust me, drinkin’ yourself till you puke or black out doesn’t help you get over things like this. It’s not worth it.”

She looked indecisively at the bottle, then back at him, her eyebrows furrowing and a contemplative frown forming across her lips. After a moment, she bowed her head and took her hand off his and the bottle he held. She sat back into the chair with a sigh and took a reflective puff off her cigar as she looked back out at the plains. “You’re right, Jack,” she confessed, more to herself than to him as her eyes clouded over in reminiscence. She propped her right elbow up on the armrest, holding the cigar aloft. She stared off into the darkness without seeing what was in front of her. “I won’t go drinkin’ myself to oblivion. I’m better than that. I won’t become a drunk like my father.”

Jack retrieved Maddie’s shot glass and set aside the empty glasses further down the railing before he hopped up and sat on the railing. He sat facing her, watching her intently as she talked in a hushed voice. Without moving his gaze from her, he lifted the bottle to his lips and took another sip before asking, “So…why was he a drunkard?”

She refused to look at him as she replied, “When my mother died, he turned to drink. It was his whole world after she passed away, and it sure as hell exacerbated both his and my own situation. Our grief alone was crippling, and he had to go and make it worse.” She glanced up at the bottle in his hands. “Drink the rest of that, Jack. I’ll have nothin’ more to do with that sin in a bottle.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” he chuckled before taking another hearty gulp. He finally began to feel a slight buzz, after drinking about half of it. He caught her watching him; he brought the bottle down and rested it on his lap. “What?”

“I’m surprised that you know how to handle your liquor, princess. You very experienced in alcohol?”

Much to his chagrin, he nodded. “Right after Pa died, I found his stash in the house. It was hidden up in the attic; I suppose it was his emergency bourbon or somethin’ of the sort. I was curious and lookin’ for some sort of way to…well, cope, I guess…So I got to drinkin’ it, and the next thing I know, Ma’s found me up there drunker than a skunk, and she’s furious at me and screamin’ all sorts of obscenities. I was sixteen at the time, and even though I don’t remember much of what she said to me, I’ll never forget how furious she was. Needless to say, I got quite the beating for that foolishness.” He paused to take another drink. “And when she died about three or so months back, I indulged in it once again.” He locked gazes with her. “I’ve drunk myself ‘til I blacked out, Maddie. It is the worst feeling waking up hung-over like that. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, especially you. Please don’t do that to yourself. Ever.”

“I won’t, Jack. I’m done drinking for the night...,” she looked off to the side, “…for a while, actually.”

“Good,” he said before downing the rest of the whiskey and setting the empty bottle down beside the shot glasses.

“I forgot to tell you, Jack,” Maddie piped up as she met eyes with him. “You’re one hell of a fine shooter. You took down the rest of those cattle rustlers in a heartbeat. Where’d you learn how to shoot?”

Jack grinned proudly down at her. “My pa. Well…I picked up on it after a while of him trying to show me. I was a hot-headed little shit back then; I didn’t want him to show me. But he was persistent, and he showed me a thing or two. And after he passed away, I did nothin’ but practice on old whiskey bottles and wolves that tried getting’ to the cattle. When I wasn’t doin’ chores or takin’ care of Ma, I was shootin’. But then Ma got sick, and she quickly wasted away…My gunmanship got even better after she died.”

Pity enveloped Maddie’s brown eyes. “I’m sorry, Jack.”

He fiddled with a slight tear in the sleeve of his shirt; he must’ve snagged it on barbed wire or something sharp earlier that day. “Where’d you learn to shoot so well?”

“Pa taught me how to handle a gun at an early age. If I remember right, I was around ten when he gave me a revolver. He just showed me one day, and for some reason, it just clicked with me.” She chuckled as she added, “I guess I was born to be a gunslinger.”

“You wanna shoot with me some time?” Jack asked.

Her eyes lit up for the first time that day. Even in the cloaking darkness, they glowed with joy. “Sure. I don’t see why not. After all, we’re gonna go bag your first bounty soon. You’re gonna need all the practice you can get to prepare for it. I’m sure you’re a little rusty and could use some pointers from me, anyways.” She winked slyly at him as she puffed on her diminishing cigar.

He tipped back his head as he guffawed. “Ha! That’s a good joke, Maddie. Are you so sure of yourself, little miss gunslinger? ‘Cause if you don’t mind me sayin’, I bet it’ll be _you_ who will be needin’ the pointers, _not_ me!”

“Fat chance at that,” she snorted back as she blew the smoke at him. “I’ll blow you out of the water. You can bet on that, princess.” An amused grin grew on her lips. A flame of determination flickered in her eyes as she challenged, “Tomorrow, we’ll see who the better gunslinger is. What say you to that, boy?”

“You’re on,” he said with an excited smirk.

“Just do me a favor: don’t become depressed tomorrow when you lose.”

“Are you kiddin’ me? You’ll be in tears after I show you up. If anything, you’ll be needin’ more practice after I show you how it’s done, little girl.”

Her jaw dropped open in mock surprise. “That’s pretty big talk comin’ from a scrawny piece of straw like yourself!” She nodded down to the revolver hanging at his side. “Do you even know how to load that thing, much less shoot it?”

“Well, if you’re so damn curious as to how it works, I’ll show you how to do all that tomorrow.”

She grinned and bowed her head in approval. “Well played, princess. I see you’re back in the game.”

They shared a chuckle and looked each other over in unspoken gratitude, happy to have brightened the other up despite the horrid events that had happened in the past two days. The pair studied each other briefly, but soon, their faces grew red and they looked away, though a trace of a smile still lingered on their lips.

Abruptly, Maddie dropped the stubby cigar onto the porch and ground it out with her left boot. She rose up out of the chair, her left leg shaking slightly from having to carry all her weight on it for the past two days. A yawn escaped her, and she ran a hand over her face. “Well,” she said, “I’m gonna turn in for the night. You should too, Jack.”

Jack hopped off the porch railing with a sigh. He shook his head hopelessly. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to sleep well tonight, Maddie. I hardly slept last night, and I doubt that’ll change.”

She limped closer to him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “You have to try. It won’t be easy for me, either, but we all need rest after everything that’s happened.”

He looked her in the eyes and asked tenderly, “Are you gonna be okay?”

She blinked, drew back a step, and withdrew her hand off his shoulder. “I’ll be fine. I’ve endured far worse things than losin’ fellow co-workers and friends. Don’t worry about my well-being. Be more concerned with yours, Marston. Tomorrow, we start anew. To mourn and stay in the past would dishonor the men we’ve lost. We’ll honor them by livin’ good lives and leadin’ good examples to others. They would want us to move on, after all.”

Jack stood staring after her as she turned and limped toward the front door. Only when she opened the door did he snap out of his wonder and ask, “Um…Maddie? What are you doing?”

“What do you mean ‘what are you doing’? I’m headin’ to bed.”

He blinked. “But…aren’t you gonna take me back to my cell?”

An adoring twinkle entered her eyes. “What, you want me to hold your hand and lead you back over there? I’m pretty sure you’re a big boy now and can handle that yourself. Or am I wrong?”

His cheeks flushed a deep crimson. He glanced down at the porch, trying to retain what little dignity he had left. “That’s not what I meant. You always lock me back in my cell at night.”

She laughed, her voice ringing like melodious bells. “I think you’ve earned your spurs by now, so I’m not gonna go through the trouble of escortin’ you to your little prison every night. Besides, someone’s waitin’ for you anyway. He’ll be sure to lock you up, if that comforts you.”

“Oh.”

“Consider this another reward, Marston.” She tipped her hat to him and smiled. “Good night.”

He became breathless by her generosity and smile. “Good night,” he murmured. He watched her disappear around the door, and even after she closed it and flicked the lights off in the living room, he stood staring after her, bewildered. It was only when the night’s chill had settled into his bones did he walk to the sheriff’s office and turn in.


	8. Motherless Daughter

The bottle exploded into thousands of shards of green glass as the bullet shattered easily through the center; the remains rained down to the ground below the target practice area of MacFarlane’s ranch. The terrified whinnies and bellows of the horses and cattle followed the gunshot; it was like call and answer ever since Jack and Maddie began practice that morning after chores.

“Perfect shot!” Jack exclaimed, beaming with arrogance. He spun his Cattleman revolver around in his hand, twirling it by the trigger guard before he holstered it swiftly in one graceful motion. He looked to his right, where Maddie sat atop a tree stump with her injured leg stretched out in front of her. Her Henry repeater laid beside the stump along with a box of ammunition for both her weapons and Jack’s handgun. Her semi-automatic pistol hung on her right hip. He flashed his eyebrows and nodded to the shooting range twenty strides away. “Well? What do you think?”

She scoffed as she took out a cigar from the inside pocket of her duster and placed it in her mouth. She struck a match across her pant leg, lit the cigar, and took several puffs to give it life. She smirked as she brought the cigar down from her lips. The smoke rolled lazily out of her mouth as she replied nonchalantly, “I’ve seen little boys half your age shoot better than what you just did.”

His jaw dropped. “Oh, come on, Maddie!” He gestured angrily before him at the row of ten empty whiskey bottles set up at the targeting range. “You gotta admit that that was some damn fine shootin’.”

She shook her head and chuckled. “Oh, I wouldn’t call it _that_.” She gestured to the hand-me-down revolver hanging at his side. “What you’ve got right there is one of the worst guns I’ve ever seen. Shootin’ with that pea shooter isn’t somethin’ to be proud of. The fact that you can make that son of a bitch work is what’s amazing me right now, not your so-called ‘fine shootin’.’”

“Hey, _you’re_ the one who gave me this gun, so don’t go bringin’ me down with crude words.” He turned and faced the shooting range. His eyes drifted to the next bottle in line. “Besides, it doesn’t matter how horrible this gun is. I can shoot no matter what gun I’m usin’.”

“Can you?” she jeered as she brought her cigar to her lips again.

He threw her a warning glare as he rested his hand on the revolver. “Yes, Your Royal Highness, I can. Watch and learn!”

“‘Watch and learn’? More like watch and laugh.”

His anger flared as he bent his knees and took his dueling stance. His brow creased as his eyebrows fell heavily over his brown eyes. He drew, pulled back the hammer, aimed, and fired in one fluid motion. The bottle shattered atop the table, and its remains ricocheted off the surrounding bottles. Jack held the smoking revolver aloft as he turned and grinned down at Maddie.

“ _Now_ do you believe me?”

She pursed her lips. “Not bad, Marston, but I think you could do better. Draw faster and shoot more accurately this time. It looks like you just throw up your gun and hope you shoot wherever you’re pointin’ at. And relax when you’re shooting. My God, you’re standin’ stiffer than a fence post. Bend your knees a bit more.”

“I know what I’m doin’, Maddie,” he griped. “I’ve been doin’ this since I was a kid. I know how to shoot.”

“Then let me see ya do it, _kid_ ,” she demanded, beckoning him onward with a wave of her cigar. “Draw!”

At her command, Jack threw the gun up, aimed, and fired at the next bottle. His accuracy wasn’t the best, but his draw was quicker. Still, he frowned when the bottle didn’t explode like the previous two. Rather, it crumbled into three large chunks and fell to the ground. She sighed and shook his head.

“Ya see what I’m gettin’ at, Jack?” Maddie questioned before puffing on her cigar. “You’re not comfortable, you’re not relaxed, and that’s hurting your accuracy. That and your stance is, too.” She paused to look him over with a jesting grin. “Are you _sure_ you know what you’re doin’?”

“Yes!” Jack bellowed as he shot up his arm and fired once more. The bullet completely missed and embedded itself somewhere in the ground behind the practice area.

“Fuck!”

He fired two more times, and when his aim didn’t improve, a scowl found its way across his lips. “Goddamn it,” he hissed to himself as he stomped over to the stump and fetched a box of ammunition beside Maddie. He walked back to his position and reloaded the revolver. “I’m usually better than this. What the hell’s goin’ on?”

“You’re forcing it, Marston,” Maddie concluded wisely as she rose stiffly to her feet and limped over to him. Before he could finish reloading, she gently grabbed his forearm and lowered both his arm and the revolver. “That and you’re tryin’ too hard to impress me.”

“I am not!” he snapped back as he holstered his gun. He frowned when he felt his face blush brightly. “I’m just a little rusty is all.”

“Rusty ain’t got nothin’ to do with it,” she replied sincerely as she locked gazes with him. “You’re over-thinkin’ things. Like I told you before, just relax and let it happen as it should. Then and only then will you succeed at this. Now try it again, and this time, pretend I’m not here. Just aim and shoot. It doesn’t need to be more complicated than that, boy.”

“It’s not that easy when you’re patronizin’ my every move.”

“Well, someone needs to point out all your flaws, Marston, and dare I say it’s about damn time, too. You need to learn how to _properly_ shoot.”

“Would you just _shut up_ already?”

“Only if you get to shootin’ better,” she challenged with a smile in her voice. She limped back a step to give him room.

Ignoring her harsh commentary, Jack took his shooting stance once more. _I can shoot better than this_ , he thought brusquely to himself. _I_ know _I can!_ He glanced at Maddie out of the corner of his eye, feeling her scrutinizing gaze upon him. _If she wasn’t here, I’d be a better shot._

“You daydreamin’, Marston? Let me see you shoot!”

“Alright, alright,” he growled and rested his hand on his revolver. “Don’t get your britches in a bunch.” He exhaled through his nose as he concentrated on the bottle before him. As he inhaled, he drew and fired. He smirked when his aim was true; the bottle broke apart as the bullet crashed through the center. “There! How do you like _that_?”

Maddie shook her head and chortled. “Better, but you’ve still got a slow draw. If you’re gonna be bringin’ in bounties with me in a couple weeks, you’ve _got_ to be faster and more precise. With how you’re shootin’ now, you’ll be killed by the first bounty we go after.”

Fed up with her, Jack holstered his gun and faced her fully. He crossed his arms tightly over his chest and glowered down at her. “Well, if you’re so knowledgeable about shootin’, why don’t you show me? You’ve been sitting on your ass all morning watchin’ me work and now you’re naggin’ about my shooting. I’ve ‘bout had enough of it. You think you’re better than me? Then why don’t you stop braggin’ and start shootin’?” He beckoned her to rise from her seat with a wave of his hand and taunted, “C’mon, Miss Sharp Shooter, prove it!”

“With pleasure,” she replied and got to her feet, switching her cigar over to her left hand and holding it down by her thigh. Although she limped badly, she proceeded confidently up to him. She stood slightly in front of him and, with excessive priggishness, flicked her duster back behind her holstered pistol with her right hand before resting it on her firearm. She breathed slowly through her nose and exhaled out of her mouth. She placed all her weight on her left leg, as she had done the past three days, and even though it was difficult, she did her best to stand straight.

“I’ll bet you five bucks you can’t shoot straighter and faster than me,” Jack challenged.

“You’re on, Marston. But do you even _have_ five bucks? Last I heard, Bonnie had your money locked away in the house somewhere, along with your guns and manhood.”

“I’ve got enough money to bet you at least ten times over, and I’ve still got my manhood intact, thank you very much. But my question to you is, are you too much of a chicken-shit to follow through? ‘Cause I’ll be _real_ disappointed when you shoot and miss and—”

Maddie had drawn, aimed, and fired before he could get to his next word; he fell silent when the bottle blew to pieces.

“And THAT, my friend, is how you shoot!” she proclaimed with a proud smile. She brought her cigar up to her lips, took several puffs, before letting the smoke shoot past her lips. “You owe me five bucks!”

Jack’s jaw dropped as he stared down at her. “How…?”

She grinned up at him. “ _Told ya_ I could shoot better than you. You’re in the presence of one of Landon Ricketts’ pupils.”

“You’re joking.”

She shook her head. “Nope. Way back when Ma died and Pa remarried, I rode across the border and lived in Mexico for a while. Probably for about a year or so. I learned the language, and I was taught a thing or two by Landon Ricketts himself. That’s when I started bringin’ in bounties; it’s because of Ricketts that I’m this good of a shot. He taught me how to survive in this harsh world. It’s a shame he’s dead; otherwise, I’d take you down to Chuparosa and have him teach you how to shoot.”

He blinked and daftly shook his head. “Wait, what? I’m…I’m confused. Say that again.”

She sighed as she holstered her weapon. “I figured it’s about time I told you a little bit about myself. I sort of know everything about you, so it’s only fitting you learn about me, I suppose. And since we’re gonna be out and about bringin’ in bounties, we might as well get used to each other.” She limped back to the tree stump and sat down with a pained grunt. “Keep practicing. Lord knows you need it.”

“I’ll keep shootin’ if you keep talkin’.”

“You got a deal, princess.”

“And stop calling me that. It pisses me off.”

She smirked and brought her cigar back to her mouth. “Whatever…princess.”

“Maddie!”

She giggled and puffed on the cigar. The smoke wafted from her lips as she concluded, “Alright, alright. I’ll stop. But you, mister, need to keep shootin’.”

“Fine,” he snapped back and drew his attention back to his target. He drew, squeezed the trigger, and grinned when the bottle shattered. “I’m not hearin’ you talk, Maddie. We had a deal.”

“I’m gettin’ to it, boy! Have patience!”

He clamped his mouth shut and shot down the next bottle.

She took another puff, and with a ruminating countenance, she blew out the smoke and stared off into space. “I wasn’t always at Bonnie’s ranch. She practically took me in as one of her own about a year ago. She’s like a mother to me, well, as much a mother as she can be. She’s the closest thing I have to a mother, since my mother has been dead for six years now.”

Jack blinked as he aimed at the next bottle. He hesitated to fire.

“I met her right around the time I crossed the border. I was going after bounties and making quite a good living off it, but the revolution in Mexico was goin’ on, and the country became a dangerous place to live, especially after Abraham Reyes led the Rebels and overthrew the government.” She nodded to Jack and added with a smirk, “I do believe your father had somethin’ to do with that. I saw him a couple times down there; I was never fortunate to speak to him, but from all the tales I heard, he seemed like a great man, even if he was once an outlaw like yourself. But I digress…

“Anyway, I was seventeen when I returned to Texas. I started bringin’ in bounties myself around Blackwater and Thieves Landing, and I made my way towards Armadillo over the years. I was eighteen when I ran into Bonnie. I was in Armadillo stockin’ up on supplies and was about to head over to the train station to see if any bounty posters were posted. She was also in the general store, and before I walked out, she and I got to talkin’. It was like we’d known each other all our lives, we just got along so great. She asked what I was doing, and I said I was in the process of getting ready to collect another bounty. She offered me a job at her ranch, and of course I accepted it. We talked all the way back to the ranch, and we got to know each other well.

“So I started working at her ranch. She was so generous and grateful to have another woman in the house that she gave me one of the spare rooms. I guess bein’ around men all the time sure wore her down. She took good care of me, and I helped her out any way I could in return. Every once in a while, a wanted poster would show up at the sheriff’s office, and I’d go after the bounty; I gave half my earnings to Bonnie every time. I felt the need to pay her back for all the things she’d done for me. Plus, I figured her ranch could use the money, especially whenever tough times would come around. ‘Course, Bonnie would always refuse the money, no matter how much I persisted. To this day, she still does, but I keep tellin’ her the ranch needs it and that I can’t thank her enough for being a mother to me when I didn’t have one.”

Quite abruptly, Maddie fell silent. She stared up at Jack and watched him for a time as he fired several more times. One by one, the bottles exploded, and each time, his aim and speed improved. After the last bottle shattered, Jack paused to reload.

He looked her over with concern. “Maddie? You all right?”

“Yeah. Just watchin’ you. You’re gettin’ better, and quite quickly.”

He smirked. “What? You didn’t think I could get better so fast?”

“I guess.”

He flicked his gaze to his gun and back to her as he reloaded. “So…what happened to you before all this? You never mentioned what happened to your parents before you became a bounty hunter and went to Mexico.”

Her eyebrows raised in realization. “Huh. I guess not.”

“Well?”

Her eyes darted to the side indecisively. Pain flashed across her face for the briefest second before she covered up the emotion with a cold scowl. “That is for another time. I’ve already said too much anyways.”

“But you said it’s only fair that--”

“We’re done for the day,” she barked and stood up quickly. “You’ve got other chores to get done today.” She grabbed the boxes of ammunition and her repeater from the ground and limped away toward the ranch house.

Jack stood staring after her. “Maddie, what the hell? Where are you going?”

“Where do you think?”

He holstered his gun and trotted after her, still confused. He fell into step abreast of her and was met by an ill-tempered visage when he tried to look her in the eye. “Christ, miss. I wasn’t tryin’ to offend you. I was just curious is all. You know me, so I should know about you.”

She stopped suddenly and faced him, staring him down with the cruelest glare. “Correction: I do NOT know you, nor do you know me. And if I may be so bold, it was quite unbecoming of you to be so nosy.”

His jaw dropped. “Nosy?! Maddie, _you_ were the one telling me _your_ past, so don’t try to put the blame on me! Look, I am sorry if I upset you, but please do me favor and stop being so damn dramatic. Practice what you preach, miss: you’re over-thinkin’ things when it should be kept simple.”

Her mouth opened and closed several times as she tried to come up with a retort. When she couldn’t find the suitable words, she sighed angrily and continued limping towards the house. “Come on, Marston. We’ve got to get workin’ on those mustangs before chores tonight. We’ve neglected them for a couple days, and we need to keep trainin’ them before they grow wild on us again.”

Jack hung his head and sighed, still not comprehending her sudden anger. Nevertheless, he followed her lead and kept his mouth shut.

 

*             *             *

 

He urged Sundance into a trot after Maddie and Féileacán, who were ten feet ahead of him on the road that flanked Pike’s Basin. He reined his horse to the left side of the tobiano filly to ride abreast of his supervisor; as he came up to her and the filly’s side, he eased Sundance back to match their pace. He looked Maddie over with a wary eye. His heart skipped a beat when she glared at him out of the corner of her eye.

“The hell you lookin’ at, Marston?”

“N-nothing, miss.”

“Then why do you keep gawking at me?”

Jack frowned and sighed. Not knowing how else to word his concern, he spoke truthfully, “Well, it’s just…You haven’t said a word to me since we started riding, and that’s been well over an hour.” He looked down at her right leg, then up at her left arm, and frowned. He was surprised that she was riding after only three days of being shot. “How’s your leg? Is it hurting at all? How ‘bout your arm?”

“My arm and leg are just fine, boy. This isn’t the first time I’ve ridden with an injury. I _am_ a bounty hunter, you know.”

“I know, but still…I’m just makin’ sure you’re all right is all.”

“You can stop babysitting me, Marston. I don’t need any sympathy from you or anyone else. I’m just fine.” She glanced down at her filly and patted her neck with affection. To change the subject, she said down to her mount, “You’re doin’ all right for your first ride out.” She leaned forward in the saddle and combed the filly’s black and white mane with her fingers. “You’re such a good girl.”

Jack watched her with a faint smirk. “Ya know, for bein’ such a little thing, Butterfly sure is a sprite creature. She’s good-natured, too.”

An admiring smirk spread across Maddie’s mouth. She patted Féileacán’s neck one more time before sitting back up in the saddle. “She’s one of the best horses I’ve worked with. I have to say she’s one of my favorites, aside from Gypsy, of course—Gypsy will always have a very special place in my heart, but Féileacán here is almost worthy of giving her a run for her money.” She looked at Jack’s palomino. “He sure is the pick of the herd. He’s got a good build; he’s all muscle. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say Sundance is manlier than you are, Marston.”

He threw her an unimpressed frown. “Fat chance at that, Maddie.” He shook his head and looked down at his horse’s shimmering cream-colored mane. “He may be a beauty, but he’s no match to me for manliness.”

Maddie threw back her head and laughed. “I don’t know about that, Jack. I’d say he’s prettier than you, too. You’re uglier than a mule’s ass, and just as stubborn as one.” Pestering him further, she flicked the end of her reins at his thigh.

Before the leather could slap his leg, Jack reined Sundance to the side. The stallion side-stepped gracefully out of Maddie’s reach, his right hooves crossing over his left like a dancer. Once he was a good distance from the feisty females, Jack glared over at his overseer and, even though it wasn’t true, barked back, “Hey, you’re not so handsome yourself. You’re no princess by any means.”

Her jaw dropped in fake offense. “I beg your pardon? I’ll have you know that I’ve had countless offers from a vast array of men who’ve fallen head over heels for me. My God, I can’t tell you how many times men have come up to me and asked for my hand in marriage.”

Jack rolled his eyes and scoffed. “You’re such a liar, Maddie.”

“Go ask Bonnie. She’ll tell you the exact same thing.”

“If you’ve been asked by so many men, why aren’t you married then? Do you enjoy being a tease, or is your hubris so ungodly high that you refuse to be a well-to-do woman?”

Her eyebrows narrowed dangerously over her brown eyes. “For your information, I am NOT a tease. I just refuse to follow in society’s footsteps. The day I get married off is the day my life ends. I like being able to do as I please instead of being restricted inside a home. To be stuck in a house sewing, cooking, and raising children isn’t my fate, nor shall it be.” She raised her chin and tossed her hair back with a flick of her hand. “My mother didn’t raise me to be a subservient housewife. Sure, she taught me etiquette, sewing, cooking, and all that. But you know what? When Pa wasn’t lookin’, my mother also taught me to be a strong, self-reliant woman who could hold her own against stupid, headstrong men such as yourself.”

Jack’s mouth hung open. “Jesus, Maddie…”

She turned in the saddle to face him and asked with a sardonic chuckle, “What? You shocked by a woman who has a backbone? I’ve had to be strong ever since my mother was killed and my father became a drunken idiot.” She motioned to herself with a jab of her right thumb to her chest. “You wanna know why I’m this way? It’s because I lost faith in men, and in a lot of things, when Mama died right before my eyes.”

Jack clamped his mouth shut and stared down at the saddle horn. _Christ, I didn’t want this to happen,_ he thought. _I was hoping to make amends with her, not infuriate her. But damn…was her father that much of an ass? And her poor mother…_

He looked back up at Maddie when she rode Féileacán closer to him and Sundance. Two riders zoomed by on horseback, their mounts huffing and puffing. Maddie waited for the cowboys to pass by before she looked back at him. He flinched under her seething gaze and returned his stare back to the saddle horn. He couldn’t help but squirm uncomfortably in the saddle when her venomous gaze lingered. He could feel the anger resonate from her eyes and wash over him in a skin-crawling wave of red-hot rage.

“You really wanna know about my past, Mister Marston?” Maddie asked, her voice hardening into a bitter tone. “You really wanna know how my mother died? A gang of outlaws, wretched scumbags just like you, were raiding our farm outside of Blackwater one night. Mama pushed me behind her and faced those bastards fearlessly without a gun in her hands, and my father stood idly by with a revolver holstered at his side.” An admiring grin softened her expression then as she continued, “She put the fear of God into every one of them for the briefest moment.” Quickly, her face returned to the bitter scowl it originally held. “But they shot her down where she stood, right in front of me and Pa. Pa gunned them all down. I was fifteen.”

They had nearly rounded Pike’s Basin and were riding closer to the main road that rose from Cholla Springs and into Hennigan’s Stead. Jack was barely aware of the world around him as Maddie continued her sad tale. Her tone became both reflective and cold-hearted as she spoke:

“That was the day I vowed to make myself stronger, to know how to fend for myself. I began to take my gunmanship seriously. I practiced constantly. I learned the ropes of horseback riding; I had Gypsy trained to the best of my abilities, and I took her out every day. I kept up with the chores on the farm, even cooked and cleaned for my father. I was forced to take the place my mother had become forced to play when she got married off to my pa and birthed me¾my parents’ marriage was arranged, and I could tell even at an early age that Mama didn’t want to have nothing to do with Pa. It was a struggle, being thrown into the role of housekeeper and, in a sense, wife and daughter at the same time. And all the while, my father slipped deeper and deeper into depression. He barely ate, he slept sparingly, and that’s when he began to drink. And drink he did. He was drunk for the first two months after Mama’s death. Pa would get drunk at the saloon in Blackwater every night, and I’d have to saddle up Gypsy and ride into town and take him home. I usually just tied him to his horse’s saddle and led his horse behind mine—it was easier that way.

“I played the part for a while, babysitting him as much as I could stand it, but when the third month came and went, I was sick of it. I brought him back from Blackwater’s saloon for the last time one cold December night, and I took all the alcohol that he’d bought and stashed around the house outside and burned it. I sat him down and told him to man up and get a hold of himself. After that, Pa and I tried to pick up the pieces. We tried moving on. We worked the farm, broke horses, and went hunting. He taught me everything about farming then, he helped me hone my gunmanship skills, and he and I attempted to get closer. He raised me more like a son than a daughter, and I am grateful for that. For the first half of that next year, we were finally getting closer…But that’s when _she_ came into our lives and ruined it all.”

“She?” Jack piped in, daring to steal a glance at her.

“Yeah, Helen Peterson, the widow and money-hungry bitch who wrecked what little of a family we had left. Pa met her in Blackwater one night. Her husband had died earlier that year, and she was quick to latch herself onto my father.” She scoffed and shook her head. “Shit, before I knew it, she was livin’ with us, and that’s when things went from bad to worse. She started behavin’ like I was her daughter, and she even had the _audacity_ to try to rein me into control and teach me how to be a “proper lady like her”, whatever the hell _that_ means. She tried forcin’ things onto me that I had quickly forgotten about after Mama died, expectations and roles that were obsolete and unimportant to my life, because why learn to be subservient and not get anywhere in life because of it? I wasn’t havin’ nothing to do with any of that, and I can remember fighting with Helen every single day.

“Then the day came when Pa told me they were gettin’ married. I have never been so angry in all my life when he told me that. She had a ring on her finger in no time at all, and she dug her claws into his skin and latched on like a leech, like a vulture to its carrion! She got EVERYTHING my mother had, her dowry, all her possessions, all her dresses, jewelry, you name it! It was like Pa was so quick to forget about her and just move on like she’d never existed! So, on the eve of their wedding, I woke up in the middle of the night, packed up my things, snuck out to the barn, and saddled Gypsy up. I rode away from home that night with nothin’ but the clothes on my back, a handful of provisions, and what little of my mother’s possessions Helen had kept from me.”

Maddie hastily dug her right hand into her shirt and pulled out a heart-shaped locket hanging from a golden chain. She pried it open with her fingernails and leaned toward Jack, showing to him a black and white photo of a beautiful woman. “That’s Mama. That’s the only picture I have of her.”

The photo was beginning to yellow from age, but the woman in the locket was just as beautiful as the daughter. She possessed the same round face, the captivating eyes, the full lips, the long beautiful hair. She wore a beautiful white wedding dress, with her hair cascading down her shoulders; she stared back at him with an almost somber expression. He glanced up at the motherless daughter with a soft smile and murmured, “She’s beautiful. You look just like her, Madeline.”

Maddie graced him with an appreciative smile. “Thank you.” She leaned away and sat back into the saddle. Beneath her, Féileacán plodded on. They were on the main road now that led back to Bonnie’s ranch. Both horses seemed remotely relaxed, even as the occasional group of mounted cowboys and other travelers passed them by.

She glanced down at the locket, sorrow abruptly engulfing her features. “It’s a shame she’s not alive; otherwise, I’d introduce you to her. You would’ve loved her, Jack.”

“If she was anything like you, I’m sure I would’ve.”

Affection softened her look as her eyes met his; a twinkle of appreciation flashed in them. “She wasn’t as saucy as I am, but she was definitely a strong woman, that’s for sure.”

“Nevertheless, Maddie, you should be proud to be her daughter. I’m sure she’s proud of you.”

She smiled brightly. “Thank you, Jack.”


	9. A Lot of Boot to Fill

Time seemed to fly by for Jack; the weeks came and went as he worked on the ranch, trained Sundance, and target practiced. His gunmanship excelled, thanks in part to his ceaseless determination to out-best his supervisor and prepare himself for the months ahead of bounty hunting. Maddie often oversaw his practicing, scolding or poking fun at him with every chance she could, until he improved or challenged her to a competition. Half the time, she won; other times, he’d luck out and draw faster; on the rare occasion, they’d tie and would spend the next hour or so arguing who bested who. In the end, it was all for show, just another game the two secretly enjoyed and lived for three times a week.

The fall weather settled in quickly. Bonnie’s crop was harvested; feed was bought from Armadillo and hauled back to the ranch to stock up for the harsh days to come. Preparations were being made, as was custom for the hard-working ranch hands. Layers of clothing were being put on, especially in early morning and late at night. The sun had begun to set earlier, making it more tedious to accomplish chores at a reasonable time. The ranch hands felt rushed, feeling pressed for time as they slaved away at their everyday jobs.

Maddie, however, seemed the opposite: aside from monitoring Jack occasionally, she took to her weeks of healing in steady solitude. She approached change without haste, letting it come without reluctance. Jack would often catch her sitting either on the front porch or in the living room of the ranch house wrapped up in a fleece blanket or a shawl, one hand holding a cup of steaming coffee or tea and the other a leather-bound book. At least three times a week, she took Gypsy and Féileacán out for a ride, alternating between each horse and taking them into consideration with equal attention. She rode by herself most of the time, working with the horses both in the corral and out on the trails.

With his overseer not hanging over him like a thundercloud anymore, Jack felt relief. To be able to work mostly by himself, with just him and Sundance and then with the other ranch hands during chores, was relaxing. He no longer felt the need to impress her, now that she wasn’t standing idly by and watching his every move. With his new-found freedom, he didn’t feel as tense, and it gave him the opportunity to think and contemplate on his life. He reflected on how he started out, how horribly wrong it all went three months ago, and on how far he’d come in only a month-and-a-half’s time. The deaths of Bill, Ira, and Joshua temporarily plagued him, often attacking his memory and heart in the most unexpected times, but he concentrated more on the relationships he had with the other ranch hands. He and Eli Jones spent more time splitting chores, sharing small-talk and ambitions, speaking on such nonsense topics such as the weather and things related to their work. Unfortunately, Eli kept bringing up Maddie in their conversations, to which Jack would quickly change the subject and ignore the black man’s probing questions. Even when their bet would be brought up, Jack would wave away the Negro’s demanding hand and dismiss his incessant prodding. It became more of a joke than anything, even though both men knew it truly wasn’t.

However, even with all the change and progress he’d made, Jack would be often plagued by the memories of his parents and of the rotting home he’d left so many months ago. On most nights, after chores were done and he’d retire to his cell in the foreman’s office, he’d find himself utterly alone lying in bed wide awake and staring somberly up at the ceiling, the cruel and painful memories of his past flooding over him and cloaking him in a despairing mood. His depression was exacerbated every time he looked around his cell; with all the great things he’d done and all the work he’d been forced to do to raise his honor, the fact still remained that he was an outlaw in a cell doing his time. Before he would fall into a deep well of despair, he’d try thinking about other things, often closing his eyes and letting his mind wander. Most of the time, he would think of Maddie, picturing her in his mind’s eye. He would catch himself grinning, which confused and angered him.

It didn’t help his confusion whenever they’d spend time together: she had become so withdrawn that whenever she wasn’t helping him with target practicing, she spent most of her time alone. When she did address him, it was rather formal and quiet. Jack was too shy about asking why this was so, so their situation didn’t improve. They felt stuck in an awkward but intimate rut, and neither knew how to break the ice and move on.

Their opportunity came one chilly evening, three weeks after Maddie’s rant. Jack was lying on his cell bed after another day of working with Sundance and doing chores, when she came in. She still walked with a slight limp, but it was hardly noticeable as she entered the foreman’s office and stood before his cell door.

 Jack looked up at her, his head resting in his arms, and blinked away his sleepy stupor. “Yes?”

As had become the norm for her, she grinned reluctantly at him and nodded in greeting. “I have some good news,” she said softly.

He sat up in bed, his gaze never leaving her. “Yeah? What’s that?”

“The sheriff just called me. He wants us in Armadillo tomorrow morning to discuss the terms of your redemption; he and I have talked over how you are to be pardoned of your crimes. So be ready bright and early tomorrow mornin’. I’ll pack up our things tonight so we can ride out at dawn.” Her grin brightened, and her eyes gleamed with excitement. “It looks like we’re finally gonna start bounty hunting, Mister Marston.”

He swung his legs out of the bed and set his feet on the wooden floor. “Really?”

She nodded.

Jack glanced at her right leg and left shoulder. “Are you well enough to go? It’s only been three weeks or so. You sure you’re ready?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m just fine, Jack. I’m good and well. Besides, I grow tired of sittin’ around half the time watching other people work. Granted, reading helps pass the time, but I can’t stand being unproductive.”

“You haven’t been unproductive,” he said with a delicate shake of his head. “You’ve been working with the horses, and in my opinion, reading isn’t a waste of time. Besides, I wouldn’t expect you to be slavin’ away after you got shot. You have every right to be takin’ it easy, miss.”

She didn’t know how to respond to him, so she stared at the floor.

“Will this be your first time bringin’ in bounties with a partner?”

She shook her head. “No. Mister Ricketts and I brought in bounties when I was in Mexico. He and I were a good team, and he taught me everything I know about bounty hunting. And now it’s my turn to show you the ropes.” She chuckled and shrugged. “I guess I’ve taken his place at last.”

“It would seem so, Miss Maddie.”

She briefly met eyes with him and gave him a quick grin. She tipped her hat to him and turned to leave. “See you bright and early, Marston.”

“Maddie, wait.”

She looked back at him over her shoulder.

Jack stood up off the bed and walked up to her, resting his hand around two bars of his cell door. “You…uh…you’ve been rather…distant lately. What’s wrong? Did I do something?”

She rested her right hand above his left on the bar, grasping the iron gently. She couldn’t bring herself to look into his eyes as she said, “No, you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s, um…it’s nothing, really. I just…It’s kind of weird…”

He cocked his head slightly. “Go on.”

She bit down on her lip and looked off to the side. “Well…you’re the only one I’ve ever told about my life…Well, besides Bonnie. But still…it’s just…difficult to discuss such things with…someone such as yourself.”

His eyes narrowed. “You mean an outlaw like me.”

She winced at her terrible choice of words. “I’m sorry.”

“No, I understand,” he answered somewhat bitterly. “You’re used to confidin’ in people such as yourself, upstandin’ citizens and whatnot. And you and Bonnie are practically mother and daughter, so it’s obvious you’ve told her everything about you.” His tone softened into curiosity. “But…why me?”

She shrugged as she locked gazes with him. “I have no idea. You’re…different, Jack. I can’t explain it, but you’re different. I mean, we’ve both had rough patches in our lives, so maybe that’s what spurred me on to tell you. That or I was just getting tired of you always askin’ me questions.”

They shared a brief chuckle.

“Or maybe it’s because there’s somethin’ at work here that neither of us knows about,” she rambled on with hesitant optimism.

He scoffed. “You mean a divine conspiracy? I didn’t know you were religious.”

“I’m not. I just like to believe that things happen for a reason, whether or not they’re birthed from a higher power and what their purpose is at first. Fate has a strange way of showin’ itself in others, and sometimes it takes a long while for it to become clear.” She nodded to him. “What about you? Should I even take the time to ask you if you’re religious?”

Jack laughed indignantly and shook his head. “I’ve been through enough to know that being religious is simply a waste of time. Religion, to me, is just a lie, a false sense of hope and a way to help people explain things that they themselves can’t fully comprehend. That’s just my way of thinkin’.”

Maddie’s mouth fell open. Her dark hair waved like a curtain in the breeze as she shook her head.

Jack blinked. “What?”

She chortled. “Nothing. It’s just…well, Bonnie was right. You and I _are_ a lot alike in some ways. It’s frightening, really.”

“Yeah,” he snickered back. He looked deep into her brown eyes, and suddenly, he felt a spark come to life from somewhere deep within, igniting his body with a strange burning that not only scared and confused him, but also made his heart pound. What was once withered and hollow began to beat again, zapped back to life by some unknown power. He could do nothing but stand in awe at his revelation as he became lost in her eyes, and suddenly, things were starting to become clearer for him. _Maybe she’s right_ , he thought with a smirk. _Maybe it is meant to be._

Maddie took a step back and drew her hand away from his. Her brow furrowed as she narrowed her eyes at him. “Why are you lookin’ at me like that?”

He blinked away his fascination and cleared his throat. “Nothing.”

She looked him over in suspicion but didn’t dwell on the matter further as she took another step back. Again, she tipped her hat to him and said, “Good night, Marston. I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow mornin’.”

Jack was still distracted by his flair of emotions to hardly notice her words. He nodded back to her and murmured, “Yeah, good night, Miss Maddie. Sleep well.” He watched her leave, all the while frowning and feeling his cheeks burn. _What the hell?_ he thought to himself as he laid back down in bed. He ran a distraught hand over his face. _What is wrong with me?_

He sighed and let his hand drop down onto the bed at his side; he glared up at the ceiling. He couldn’t help but feel outraged by this new feeling that burned his soul like hellfire. He grew frustrated when he tried to calm his pounding heart and slow his quick breath, and as he tried to fall asleep, he was fed up with himself. Even with closed eyes, he still saw her, still envisioned the way her brown eyes blazed through his and saw him for who he was and could potentially become; the way her dark hair shone in the sunlight and cascaded down her shoulders and back; the way she looked in her rancher clothing and how she smoked her cigars and read her books; the proud and beautiful way she held herself high as she rode her horse; the effortless way she carried herself amongst a crowd of men; the way she looked out past the ranch and toward the greater world with a mixture of wonder and sadness and wisdom…

Jack flicked his eyes open and scowled up at the ceiling. _Goddamn it, why can’t I just sleep? What is wrong with me?_ For well over an hour, he lay trying to comprehend it all without success. When sleep did finally take him in its comforting embrace, he couldn’t help but allow a soft smile grace his lips as he fell asleep thinking of her and of their adventure to come.

 

*             *             *

 

“Mistuh Mawsten! Mistuh Mawsten, wake up!”

Jack jolted awake to the sound of his cell door being unlocked and Eli’s frantic cries. Gasping, his heart thumping painfully in his chest, he sat up and looked over at the black man. “Wha-what?”

Eli fumbled with the cell door, the keys jingling and slipping around the key hole. As he struggled, he blurted, “Ya hoss, mistuh, he’s been stolen!”

“What?!” Jack leapt out of bed, threw on his clothes, and stood impatiently before Eli as he fought with the cell door. The second the door was unlocked, he bolted out of the foreman’s office, his duster flying behind him and the chilly autumn air biting at his flesh and sucking as much heat from him as possible. Dawn was on the cusp of awakening the world; the sun was peeking groggily above the horizon. Stumbling in the darkness, Jack ran as fast as his stiff, sleep-ridden body could move, with Eli trailing behind.

They jogged into the stable to find Bonnie and Maddie standing before what was left of the Dark Horse’s stall. Jack gasped at the sight of the stall door destroyed. Chunks of wood littered the ground before the stall; the hinge was lying in front of the stall across from it. Hoof prints covered the dirt and left a trail leading out the double doors.

“What the hell happened here?” Jack demanded

Bonnie shrugged and ran a hand across her long, blonde braid. “Horse thief is what we’re thinkin’.”

“Son of a bitch!” he swore and kicked a nearby stall door. The bay gelding inside balked and squealed. Not caring, he paced the circumference of the crime scene, his hands on his hips and his anger fuming. “There goes the last of my belongings! Who the hell has the balls to do this to me?”

In truth, Jack had grown rather fond of his rugged, scarred steed. He had discovered the land with that creature, left his mark on the world astride him, and had become his companion during the lonely weeks of trailblazing. He had also discovered his darker side as well with the beast, and even though he regretted letting himself go and murdering those fourteen people, he and the Dark Horse had created a kinship. He felt betrayed and left behind by the animal he’d come to accept and befriend.

“Wait a minute,” Bonnie said. Her eyes widened as she looked over the shattered stall door. Her eyes followed the spray of wood created by some blow from within the door. She walked into the stall and inspected the ground, kneeling in the straw. “There aren’t any boot prints here.” She stood back up and walked out, her gaze never leaving the ground. She came to stand beside Maddie and Jack. “Your horse wasn’t stolen, Jack. He broke out.” She pointed to what was left of the door, then at the ground, and explained, “There’s no sign of anybody comin’ in here, and from the looks of things, the Dark Horse must’ve kicked down the door and took off like a bat outta hell.”

Jack shook his head, angry and saddened. A crushing wave of loss consumed him as he realized, _He no longer found me worthy…_

Maddie shook her head. “That’s ridiculous. Horses don’t break down their own stalls and take off like that, not unless somethin’ spooks the hell out of them.”

“There isn’t a single footprint or anything that suggests a thief came in here and took him,” Bonnie continued, motioning to the ground before them to emphasize her point.

Jack sighed and ran a hand over the back of his neck. “Goddamn it, now what am I supposed to ride?”

“You still have Sundance,” Maddie said.

He looked at her with an incredulous look. “First off, Maddie, he’s not my horse to begin with. He’s Bonnie’s. Second, he’s not ready for the sort of stuff I’m gonna be doin’. I haven’t gotten him used to guns. He’ll spook and throw me off the second I fire my revolver. And third, I need to find the Dark Horse, _MY_ horse!”

She silenced him with a solid glare. “Quit your bitchin’, princess. We don’t have _time_ to find that nag of yours. And Sundance will be fine. He’ll get used to our guns in no time; you’ll just have to dismount and fire from the ground the first couple of bounties.” She jerked her thumb back towards the ranch house. “I’m gonna go grab our things. In the meantime, you get Sundance saddled up.”

Jack shook his head, still unsure. “I don’t know, Maddie…”

“What other choice do you have, boy?” she argued. She motioned to Bonnie with a hand and continued, “You _could_ take one of her horses, but you’d miss out on workin’ with Sundance. Besides, you’ve already got a good thing goin’ with that stallion, so saddle him up. I’ll meet you in the corral in about five minutes.” With that, she walked out of the barn and headed for the house.

Jack and Bonnie exchanged baffled expressions.

“Well, this has been an interesting morning,” Bonnie chuckled.

“No kidding,” he snorted as he placed his hands on his hips. “I can’t believe he just took off like that. It doesn’t make sense.”

“I’m just as dumbfounded as you are.”

“So, is she right? About Sundance, I mean. Can I use him?”

Bonnie shrugged nonchalantly. “Seeing as you have no other choice, I’d say you are more than welcome to.”

“Thank you, Miss MacFarlane.”

Still seized by anger and sadness, Jack went over to a saw horse and hefted up the Dark Horse’s tack. He entered the corral; the herd of horses walking over to him as he approached, their ears pricked forward and nickering hungrily, expecting to be fed. His anger and disappointment faded as Sundance came trotting up to him with an excited toss of his head. The palomino nudged his hand with his grey, velveteen muzzle and nickered a warm greeting.

“Hey, boy,” Jack replied as he slipped on the Dark Horse’s bridle over the palomino’s broad head. The horse took the bit eagerly, his brown eyes alit with excitement at the prospect of going for a ride. After adjusting the throat lash and cheek piece to fit him correctly, Jack dropped the reins, and Sundance stood obediently, just as he had been trained. Without delay, he threw the blanket and saddle up and over the stallion’s back and began saddling him up.

Footsteps approached him; Jack didn’t have to look back over his shoulder to know it was Bonnie. “Sundance has taken to you well, Jack,” she noted softly, adoration and pride apparent in her voice. She stood behind him with folded arms and watched him as he tightened up the front cinch. “You’re a natural with horses, just like your pa was.”

“Thank you. He taught me well, and so did Maddie.” He patted the horse’s muscular neck and, despite losing the Dark Horse, murmured, “This big boy just might prove to be a good trail horse.”

“Indeed, Mister Marston. I think you traded up. He’ll prove to be the better horse for you instead of that ugly creature you lost this morning.”

“Watch it. He might’ve been a nag or whatever, but he was still a good horse, despite what you or Maddie or anybody else here thinks.”

A pause enveloped between them. Bonnie shifted her weight from foot to foot uncomfortably. “Ya know, Jack,” she began hesitantly, looking down at the ground, “you’ve come a long way…with your life, with this horse…with Maddie. She’s helped you out in a lot of ways, and you’ve grown up quite a bit.”

Jack snorted. “I wouldn’t say that, Miss MacFarlane. I’ve still got quite a lotta boot left to fill, as far as Maddie’s concerned. She still sees me as an idiot kid wearin’ oversized boots. I don’t think I’ve earned my spurs with her just yet.”

“Give it time, and it’ll happen.”

“I know,” he replied with a nod. “I just hope it’s sooner than later.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that, Marston,” came Maddie’s disgruntled voice off to the side. “‘Cause if you keep whinin’ and bitchin’, I don’t think I’ll _ever_ be able to give you my full respect.”

She and Eli ambled up to the corral each carrying a large duffel bag, saddle bags, a satchel, and other gear for their adventuring. They unloaded their burdens before Jack and Bonnie with slight groans at the weight of it all.

Jack’s eyes widened at the sight of Maddie: she wore her usual attire, only now wearing a dark-gray sweater underneath her vest and duster, as well as a red silk scarf around her neck. A semi-automatic pistol hung at each hip, a sheathed hunting knife was strapped behind her right pistol, a full bandolier was slung across her chest, and her Henry repeater and a Carcano rifle were slung over her back. _Jesus_ , he thought. _She’s prepared._

He was shocked to see all his accoutrements as well. There it was, his satchel, hat, bandolier… His heart jolted with happiness as he looked over his belongings. He frowned, however, when Maddie handed a rather antique-looking repeater carbine over to Bonnie, who held it out to him.

“Here,” Maddie grunted, “You’re gonna need this if we’re gonna be takin’ on bounties. That little pea shooter you’ve got strapped to your side isn’t gonna cut it when it comes to long-range shooting.”

He took it from Bonnie with hesitant hands and slung it over his back. _Better to have these pieces of shit than not have any at all_ , he reasoned with himself as he also received from her his satchel and bandolier. He slung these on as well, feeling more and more complete as he was reunited with his things. He found himself grinning as he retrieved his saddlebags from the ground and tied them to Sundance’s saddle. _At least I have my things back, and goddamn, does it feel nice!_

Maddie turned and walked over to the stable, where she retrieved her mount’s tack was sitting atop a saw horse. She whistled for her black beauty as she walked back out, and the magnificent mare came loping up to her with a warm whicker. Horse and rider exchanged greetings before Maddie began saddling her steed. Jack watched her with a passive expression, noting how sweet she looked as she spoke to her horse while saddling her.

“Jack,” Bonnie stated to get his attention.

He looked back at her, and his jaw dropped as he looked down at what she held out to him. “Pa’s hat,” he whispered and took it from her. He held it delicately in his hands as he looked up at Bonnie. He thought he’d never see his father’s hat again after getting arrested. “Bonnie…why…?”

“Because you’ve reined yourself back over to a better path in life, I’ve decided to give this back to you. Though you have yet to truly earn the right to wear it, I’m still giving it to you because, well, you need a hat if you’re gonna be out ridin’ in the sun and rain. But keep in mind that you must earn the right, the honor, and the privilege to wear John Marston’s hat. He was a legend to this land, and if you’re wantin’ to reclaim your family’s honor and rightfully call yourself the son of John Marston, I’d suggest you start by workin’ hard at becoming a better man and bringin’ in those bounties. You’ve got a lotta boot left to fill, especially your father’s, Jack, so be sure that you try your damndest to do that in the next few months.”

He bowed his head. “Thank you, Miss MacFarlane.” Beaming, he donned his father’s hat and tugged it snugly down onto his hat. He lifted his head back up to lock eyes with Bonnie. “You okay?”

Her blue eyes swam with tears as she suddenly enveloped him in a tight hug and buried her face into his shoulder. “Promise me you’ll come back safe,” she said as she lifted her lips to his ear. “Promise me you’ll come back a changed man, an honorable man like your father would want you to be. And promise me you’ll look after Madeline for me. She’s bullheaded, and that gets her into trouble sometimes.”

“I-I will, Miss MacFarlane,” he stuttered back as he returned the embrace. He patted her back and added, “I’ll make sure she doesn’t get into too much trouble. We’ll be back before ya know it.”

“I sure hope so,” she said as she let go of him and stepped back. “I’d hate to not have you two ride back to me safe and sound.”

Jack gave her a reassuring smirk and lightly smacked her shoulder with the back of his right hand. “C’mon, Bonnie,” he laughed. “You’re talkin’ about a regular bounty hunter teamin’ up with an outlaw gunslinger. I think our chances of success are pretty good.”

She met eyes with him with a most grave countenance. “I hope to God they are, Mister Marston.”

“For your information, Bonnie, I’m perfectly capable of handlin’ things on my own,” Maddie interjected as she walked up to her and Jack, leading Gypsy. She dropped the reins and retrieved her bulging saddlebags. She tossed them up and onto Gypsy’s rump behind the cantle and tied them to the saddle. “Besides, I’ll be busy teachin’ this tenderfoot how it’s done as we rough it out there in the wild.  It’ll be me who’ll be doin’ all the protectin’, honey.”

Jack scoffed and rolled his eyes. He leaned closer to Bonnie and said, “I can see that arrogance you were warnin’ me about, Bonnie.”

“With arrogance, there is also experience,” Maddie shot back as she picked up her duffel bag and slung it over her shoulder. “And with experience comes survival. Trust me, you’re gonna be learnin’ a lot in the next couple months. I’ll be teaching you everything Landon Ricketts taught me, and I’m quite sure that involves baby-sitting along the way.”

“Baby-sitting?” Jack scoffed as he hefted his duffel bag. “Excuse me, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be just fine out there. You do realize I’ve been livin’ on my own for almost four years now; I can certainly handle myself out there with little more than the clothes on my back and a hunting knife.”

She laughed. “Looks like we got ourselves a true mountain man here, Miss MacFarlane.”

“Trust me,” he continued, giving her a resolving look, “I’ll be just fine.”

Maddie merely rolled her eyes as she turned and faced Bonnie. “We should be back by Christmas, Bonnie.”

Bonnie smiled sadly and embraced her friend, tears welling in her eyes once more. “Good. You keep a sharp eye out for both of you. You come home safe and sound to me, you hear?”

Maddie hugged her back with an amused snort. “Sure will, Miss MacFarlane. Don’t worry yourself sick now, alright? As Macbeth once said, ‘I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares more, is none’. Well, I may not be a man, but you know I follow that. All will be well, my friend.”

The older woman nodded, not trusting her voice as she released her young companion. She cupped the right side of Maddie’s face and kissed her left cheek before backing away from her and Jack as they mounted up. Bonnie followed alongside them as they rode out of the corral and onto the road that led through the ranch and on toward Armadillo. They stopped on the road for one final goodbye.

Maddie looked down at her friend and maternal figure with a reassuring grin. She tipped her hat to her and said, “Until next time, Bonnie.”

“Until next time, Maddie. Happy trails, and good luck to you both.”

 Maddie clicked her tongue; Gypsy walked on eagerly down the road.

Jack lingered; he looked from Bonnie to Maddie and back, biting down on his lip indecisively. He struggled to find the appropriate words, so he merely smiled and tipped his hat to her. “Thank you, Miss MacFarlane, for everything. I’ll come back a changed man, as promised.” Not knowing what else to do, he offered his gloved hand to her.

Bonnie reached up and took his hand, giving it a firm shake as she beamed up at him. “I sure hope so. Your parents would be proud of you.” She let go of his hand and waved him on after Maddie. “Now get goin’, before Maddie leaves you behind!”

He nodded and spurred Sundance into a trot after his overseer. He looked back over his shoulder and felt a pang of sadness stab him in the heart at the sight of Bonnie standing alone in the middle of the road waving frantically after them. He waved back to her with a charming smile, thinking, _I just hope I can fulfill my promise to her._


	10. Tactics and Small Talk

The ride to Armadillo didn’t take nearly as long as Jack thought it would; he found his thoughts were still with Bonnie, and how she would fair in the next several months without him and Maddie on her ranch. _I just hope Nathaniel doesn’t leave to go to Blackwater_ , he thought with a frown as he urged Sundance into a gallop to keep pace with his companion. _He needs to be there for her, especially now that we’ll be gone for quite some time._ He rode abreast of Maddie and Gypsy, and despite being sleep-deprived, he looked around and pay some attention to the beautiful landscape of Cholla Springs and the rising sun that bathed the world with a watercolor palette of colors.

However, nature wasn’t the only thing that caught his eye. More than once did he scold himself internally for staring at Maddie. The way her hair whipped and curled behind her entranced him; the way the dawn-light warmed her face and made it glow struck him with awe. He also noticed that she rode Gypsy with purpose, leaning slightly forward in the saddle and moving gracefully along with the mare’s movements, her hands holding the reins above the saddle horn. She kept her hat tugged down low over her face and her scarf hiked up to her chin to fight against the biting wind. She was dressed to kill, as it were, with her four firearms and her other bounty hunting equipment, and he found that prospect both fascinating and ironic.

Within ten minutes, Armadillo was in their sights, and they eased their horses back into an easy lope. By that time, it was around seven o’clock, and the town was bustling with movement as travelers and townsfolk alike moved about their morning business. When they were within a hundred yards of the sheriff’s office, Maddie pulled Gypsy into a walk. Jack did the same; the palomino stallion blew loudly, tired but happy from the morning ride.

As they rode around to the front of the sheriff’s office, they were met by Jonah, who was leaning his elbows on the porch railing with a stupid, vacant expression on his face. He looked Maddie briefly over with an annoyed scowl, but when he caught sight of Jack, he jerked up straight with an incoherent curse and drew his revolver. Aiming at Jack’s forehead, he hollered in his annoying, high-pitched drawl, “Well, isn’t it the cock-suckin’ bastard who shot me! The fuck _you_ doin’ back here in my town?!”

Maddie rolled her eyes as she and Jack stopped their horses before the hitching post. “Put your gun away, Jonah. We’re here on business. Calm yourself.”

The deputy acted as if she had never spoken; he drew back the hammer with his thumb and spat at Jack, “Last time you was in town, I had yer ass locked up in jail, ‘n’ fer good reason! You shot me, ya fuckin’ prick! I oughta make a magget-hole in yer head RIGHT NOW ‘n’ be done with ya!”

Jack merely laughed and shook his head. “My, my, Jonah! I’m surprised you’ve got enough grit to stand up to me. As I recall, last time, you were shakin’ in your boots. What happened? Did you finally grow a pair and become a man?”

“SHUT YER MOUTH, ASSHOLE!”

Jonah quaked with rage; Jack chuckled in the saddle.

“Oh, good Lord,” Maddie griped with a roll of her eyes. She shot Jack an admonishing sneer¾though he could’ve sworn he caught a glimpse of amusement in her eyes¾and ordered, “Stop bein’ a dick and shut your mouth.” She looked down at Jonah with a nod. “And _you_. Simmer down and put the gun away. There’s no sense in startin’ up a shoot-out this early.”

“Don’t you be tellin’ me what ta do, ya cross-dressin’ whore!” he snapped back, his gun shaking in his hand. He glared maliciously at Jack. “This sum-bitch needs ta die, ‘n’ Imma be the one ta do him in!”

Before either men could blink, Maddie had dropped the reins onto her lap, drawn both pistols, and set her sights on Jonah’s forehead. “Put. The gun. Away.”

Jonah’s eyes widened; Jack grinned as the deputy hastily holstered his revolver.

“That’s a good boy,” Maddie growled. “Now be a good little servant and fetch the sheriff, or do I need to ask you at gunpoint?”

“N-No, ma’am,” he stammered and backed away towards the door. He lingered before the threshold, still throwing Jack a nasty look.

Jack nodded him onward and clicked his tongue twice. “Get to it, little man.”

“You sum-bitch,” Jonah murmured with a deadly scowl before stumbling back into the building.

Maddie holstered her pistols with a sigh. She glared over at Jack. “Well, _that_ was nicely handled, Marston. Now you’ve lost all chances of redeeming yourself with him.”

Jack could’ve cared less as he chuckled back, “I couldn’t resist.”

She shook her head with disappointment.

Just then, Jonah re-emerged with the sheriff and Eli. Maddie and the sheriff tipped their hats to each other; Jack hesitated to do so, and only when Maddie elbowed him in the side did he do the same.

“Mornin’ Miss Maddie,” the sheriff greeted. “You’re here bright and early. Glad to see you’re doin’ well, as always.”

“Mornin’, Hershel,” she replied with a charming smile. “Glad to see this town’s doin’ well under your keen watch.”

“Thank you, ma’am. I do what I can.” The sheriff turned his gaze to Jack and looked him over. “And it’s good to see that you’re gettin’ on the better road.” His eyes narrowed accusingly. “You haven’t tried to hurt this young lady, have you, boy?”

Maddie chuckled and shook her head. “There’s no need to worry over this one, sheriff. He’s about as mindless and harmless as your deputies.”

At this, Jack, Eli, and Jonah gave her hostile glares. She laughed in return.

“Now, now,” Hershel warned with an admonishing look. “Let’s not get all heated up under the collar so early. It’ll be a long day if you keep that up, Miss Maddie. Let’s all just settle down and get right down to business.” He waved her and Jack into the office. “Come on in, you two. You want some coffee? I just brewed myself up a pot. Looks like you two could use the extra kick this mornin’.”

Maddie grinned down at him. “Sounds wonderful, sheriff.” She dismounted her black mare, hitched her, and headed inside. Jack did the same and followed her in, leaving Eli and Jonah to guard the doorway.

“So how are things back at the MacFarlane ranch?” Hershel asked as he poured Jack and Maddie some coffee into two tin cups. “How’s Bonnie doin’?”

“Things are goin’ considerably well,” Maddie replied. “Bonnie’s doin’ fine, and the ranch is still kicking.”

“That’s good.” The sheriff turned and handed her and Jack their coffee. They took it from him and murmured their thanks. The man turned his scrutinizing gaze back to Jack and looked him over. He nodded to him and asked, “And how are things with you? You doin’ better since I’ve seen you last?”

Jack sipped at his coffee and glared at him over the rim of the cup. As far as he was concerned, he didn’t care to grace his probing with an answer.

Maddie rolled her eyes and answered for him, “He’s doin’ better. Still stubborn as a mule, but he’s not as unpredictable and dangerous like he was about a month or so back.” She took a drink from her cup before adding, “He wasn’t as big of a pain as we thought, but he’s still an ass at times, as you can see.”

“Well, it’s only been a month ago since he was arrested, miss,” Hershel replied honestly. “He’s not gonna change just like that.” He snapped his fingers.

“I know, but he’ll get there…eventually.”

“That’s what _you_ think,” Jack commented with a snarky grin. His humor faded quickly when Maddie and the sheriff threw him warning glares.

“So, what all do you have for us, sheriff?” Maddie offered, hoping to move things forward.

Hershel smirked at her straightforwardness. “Always right down to business. I like your style, Miss Maddie.” He leaned back against his desk and twisted around, reaching for a stack of papers. He hefted up the pile, turned back around, and offered it to her and Jack. “I’ve compiled everything you’ve asked for, Maddie. Here’s a list of Jack’s bounties, as well as their files. You’ll find all the facts right there in your hands. It shouldn’t be too hard for you, miss. I’ve seen your track record, and I’m not worried about you.” He nodded to Jack curtly and added, “It’s _him_ I’m wary of.”

“He’s nothing I can’t handle, sheriff,” Maddie chuckled as she took the stack from him and began thumbing through it. Her eyes darted across the pages, eagerly absorbing the information bequeathed to her. “Looks like a great range of men to bag and bring in. Do they all need to be brought in alive, or can we just kill ‘em and be done with it?”

Hershel blinked with surprise. “Alive, of course. He needs to bring them _all_ in alive. Jesus, Maddie, I didn’t think you were that thirsty for blood. I know you sometimes bring ‘em in dead, simply because it’s easier that way, but the last three bounties you’ve brought in were alive. Why the sudden cold change?”

“I’m just asking, sheriff,” she said. “Besides, this list and all the hard work that it’ll bring is all for him, not me. I could care less how he wants to go about bringin’ these men in. All I care about is makin’ sure he does his job right. I’m here to make sure he gets pardoned and does it in an honorable way.”

“I know,” Hershel replied with a nod. He took a large gulp of his coffee, looking from Jack to Maddie and back again. “You two look like quite the team. This list shouldn’t take you long at all. You’ll be pardoned in no time, Mister Marston. Let’s just hope that you stay that way after all is said and done.”

Jack opened his mouth to reply, but Maddie said, “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure that he does.”

The sheriff smirked at her. “Very good, miss.”

“So do you want us to bring all these men in back here or to the closest jail cell we are at?”

Hershel chuckled and shook his head. “Just bag ‘em and bring ‘em in however you choose. It doesn’t matter where they get thrown into jail, just so long as you call me and let me know where you’ve brought ‘em in.” He motioned to the list in Maddie’s hand. “The first two or three should be easy. They’re nearby, so I’d just bring ‘em in here for starters.”

Maddie and Jack nodded. It was just common sense to do as the sheriff said. Without looking at him, Maddie passed the papers to Jack and sipped at her coffee. Jack took them from her and began looking through the stack. He stared at the first page; his heart fluttered in his chest as he read the list of fourteen men he was to bring in: Charlie Mash, Maurice Sweet, Harlan Forbes, Roscoe Duffy, Quinn Mallory, Irvin Pennick, Isiah Greeley, Dakota, Moses Lowson, Wade Basset, Americus Roe, Melvin Spinney, Hestor Frith, Zebedee Nash. His eyes scanned the list several times; it hadn’t sunk in yet that this list represented fourteen criminals, men who were just as dangerous, if not more, than him. He felt a pang of guilt and unworthiness. He flipped through the rest of the papers, skimming over each bounty target’s file. _This is just weird_ , he thought. A twisted frown threatened to ruin his unemotional visage. _It’s like poetic justice, a criminal going after criminals._ He smirked inwardly. _That could be a book right there!_

“Marston? Hello? You alive over there?”

Jack blinked and looked up from the papers. “Hmm?”

“You just looked a little…funny just now,” Maddie commented, looking him over with a cocked eyebrow. “You doin’ all right?”

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Maddie and Hershel exchanged puzzled looks. Maddie finished her coffee and handed the empty cup to the sheriff, who took it and set it behind him on his desk.

“So…when do we start?” Jack asked, his gaze resting on the sheriff.

Hershel grinned. “So eager to get back on track, eh, Marston? I like that.” He snorted through his nose. “Maybe you _are_ changing. I sure hope so.”

“Gimme the details, point me in the direction, and I just might surprise you, sheriff.” Jack motioned to the papers. “So these are all the people I have to go after. Should I know anything about them?”

“Maddie and I were just discussing that, or were you tuning out?”

Jack frowned. “I guess so. Sorry.”

Maddie lightly smacked his shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll take you through all the steps. I’ll tell you everything we were talking about when the time comes to it. For now, let’s get something to eat. I’m famished, as I’m sure you are.”

“Can’t argue with that, Miss Maddie,” he replied and downed the rest of his coffee. He set the cup onto the desk with a slight bang.

The sheriff offered his hand to Maddie. She took it, and they shook each other’s hand in an aristocratic way. “It’s always a pleasure doin’ business with you, Maddie. Keep up the good work and bring this boy back over to civilization. You do so much for this town, and for this ever-growing nation.”

“You’re too kind, Hershel,” she replied. “I’m just doin’ my job, that’s all, but I thank you nevertheless.”

They shared a brief smile before the sheriff turned and extended his hand to Jack. He looked him in the eyes as he said, “And good luck to you, young man. I’ll be looking forward to seein’ how you fair after this is all over.”

Jack chuckled as he shook the man’s hand. “I’m right there with ya, mister. Thank you.”

For the first time that morning, Hershel grinned amicably at him. He spoke no further as he and Jack let go of the others hand and the two bounty hunters turned and exited the building.

Jonah and Eli were waiting for them out on the porch. Maddie strode confidently forward, not even acknowledging the two imbeciles as she passed them and unhitched her horse. The deputies made way for her and didn’t speak a word to her. However, they treated Jack differently as he crossed the porch and went to unhitch his horse as well. Jonah blocked the way just as he reached the steps. He glared venomously at Jack; his hand hovered over his holstered revolver.

“I _dare_ ya ta come back here ‘n’ start shit up again,” Jonah warned quietly as he shoved his face into Jack’s. “Next time, I’m gonna shoot you down in a good ol’ fashioned duel. Just you ‘n’ me, boy! Hell, I might just give you extra time to draw on me!”

Jack leaned toward him with a smirk and murmured so that only he could hear, “Next time, I won’t miss your heart. Think about _that_ , deputy.”

Jonah’s face went white with terror, and he and Eli stumbled back into the office. Jack watched them go, snickering all the while, before he unhitched his horse and walked alongside Maddie and her mare.

As they led their horses to the livery, Maddie elbowed him in the side and scolded, “Goddamn it, Marston, you just _had_ to open your mouth and be a smart-ass. Don’t you realize you’re startin’ out on a bad foot? It’s not even mid-day, and you’ve already guaranteed yourself two enemies. Way to go, princess.”

“Do you really think I give a damn?” he laughed back. “Those boys are as stupid as mud, and they sure as hell don’t have the sense _or_ the balls to shoot me down. I think I’m good and square with them.”

“Oh, I doubt that. They may be dumber than bricks, but they still know how to shoot a gun. I’d watch your back while we’re still in town. They just might act on foolish impulse and fulfill their threats. That, and with all the families you’ve ruined in this town after your little robbery escapade, I’m sure there will be more than one set of cross-hairs on your hide. Keep in mind they all still think you’re a murderin’ outlaw.”

Jack scoffed. “That may be, but keep in mind that those two worthless deputies are afraid of me. Let them try to best me in a game of wits and guns. I’ll be more than happy to prove them wrong.”

“Okay then. It’s your funeral. But what about the civilians of Armadillo?”

“What _about_ them?”

“What if someone recognizes you while we’re in town? I’d hate to see you gunned down in the street or hung by a tree within the next hour or so. If I lose my bounty hunting partner on the first day, I’ll be pissed.”

He shrugged. “Hopefully there won’t be too much of a ruckus. I mean, we’re leavin’ first thing tomorrow, right?”

She nodded. “We might as well get a room and stay in there until tomorrow. That way people won’t be tempted to shoot you down.”

“That’s a smart idea, Miss Maddie.”

They left their horses to the care of the stable boy. Maddie tipped the boy and gave him instructions to have them fed, watered, and be saddled before dawn before she and Jack walked to the saloon. They ate their fill of what the saloon had to offer, paid for a room, and retreated immediately into it. Jack felt a sense of déjà vu after realizing he’d stayed in the same room so many months ago. He hesitated to follow Maddie into the room, recalling that the last time he was here, he was drunk and in no condition to think.

Maddie looked back at him with a peculiar expression. “You okay?” she asked as she set her bags on the bed against the farthest wall nearest the armoire.

He cleared his throat and entered, closing the door behind him. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired is all.” He tossed his belongings on the other bed before sitting heavily onto it, making the springs shriek and moan in protest to his sudden weight.

For a while, silence pervaded the room as they rummaged through their bags. Maddie cleaned her guns as Jack searched through his things. He was amazed to find that she had packed rather well: there was a spare set of clothes, a week’s worth of food rations, a cleaning kit for his firearms, extra ammunition, flint and steel, and a make-shift tent and bed roll. He laid his supplies out on the bed and surveyed it all, impressed.

“You sure know what you’re doin’, I’ll give ya that.”

She looked up from disassembling one of her semi-automatic pistols and smirked. “When you live out in the wild, you tend to figure out a way to live on very little and how to pack your things proficiently. I travel light—I don’t burden myself with unnecessary treasures or luxuries, and it’s been workin’ out for me quite well.” Her eyes lingered on him for the longest second before she returned to her firearm.

Jack watched her as she took apart her weapon with skilled hands, laying out the parts before her on the bed. She took up her cleaning kit and began wiping the parts clean, lubricating wherever necessary, and investigating for any abnormalities in the steel. She looked down the barrel to check for any debris and gunpowder she’d missed before reassembling the gun.

“So…what’s the plan?”

Maddie loaded her weapon and explained, “Well, from what Charlie Mash’s file says about him, he’s awfully wary about anyone ridin’ around his hide-out, which isn’t something to take lightly. It’s common sense to be vigilant for strangers and potential lawmen when you’ve got a bounty on your head and you’re hidin’ from the law in the hills. We’ll ride out to Rattlesnake Hollow and take our positions long before dawn so he and his gang can’t see us. The second we’re able to see better, we’ll open fire and pick ‘em off one by one until Charlie’s the last one standin’. I’ll shoot his leg or disarm him, whichever I feel like doing at the time. Then you’ll rope the bastard, hogtie him, and throw him on the back of your horse. It’ll be easy as hell and we’ll be back before lunch.” As if she’d timed it perfectly, she finished loading the clip before injecting it back into the handle of her pistol.

Jack snorted through his nose. “You make it sound so simple.”

“That’s because it _will_ be,” she remarked with a grin. She holstered her pistol, took out the other one, and began taking it apart. “You’re thinking too much on it, Marston. You just shoot and kill. That’s all there is to it. That, and ropin’. Shootin’ and killin’ shouldn’t be a problem for you, since you’ve killed fourteen people.”

He glared at her. “That was different.”

“How? How was that different?”

“We’re goin’ after gang members and outlaws. Those people I killed were not criminals. Most of ‘em were lawmen, and there were a fair few that weren’t.”

“You mean the innocent woman you shot down out of mere impulse?” she questioned darkly, her eyebrows narrowing as she paused in her gun care.

He sighed haughtily and snapped back, “Yes, her. It was an accident. And all those lawmen I killed were…in my way.”

Maddie shook her head. “You’re unbelievable.” She went back to her gun.

Jack situated himself on his bed so he faced her fully. He gave her a sour scowl as he demanded, “How am I unbelievable? Explain that to me, you judgmental brat. I did what I felt was necessary at the time, and back then I was different. Back then, I was fightin’ to survive; I did what I had to do, in some circumstances. This bounty huntin’ thing is my chance to change, isn’t it? Well, since I have no other choice because I’m bein’ forced to do it, I might as well go through with it. Just be happy I’m this compliant and not plantin’ my boots in the ground like I should be.”

She looked back up at him with a curious look, her hands pausing from their meticulous work. Yet again, the parts of the pistol were spread out before her on the bed. Her brow furrowed as she said, “I _am_ surprised you’re conformin’ so willingly to this change in your life.” She cocked her head to the side. “Why is that, Jack? Are you finally startin’ to see the error of your renegade ways?”

He shrugged and confessed, “I honestly don’t know…I mean, it’s nice to have a place to stay and somethin’ to do with my time and all, but…I’m still…”

“Lost?”

Their eyes met in a moment of understanding. Jack nodded. “Yeah. I guess I have been ever since Pa was killed…and then when Ma got sick and died. That was the last straw there, I guess. Then it all didn’t seem to matter after that.”

“Young adults tend to feel that way after losing a parent,” Maddie commented flatly as she cleaned her other pistol. No emotion crossed her face as she worked. “I know how you feel.”

“I know that you do…and I’m sorry.”

She shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s life. It’s like an unruly horse: it bucks you off and tramples you, but then you get back up and mount up again…until the next time you get thrown off. Then the cycle starts all over.”

He smirked. “You’re quite poetic sometimes, miss.”

She laughed softly as she looked down the barrel, making sure it was clean, before she began reassembling her weapon. “Yeah, I suppose. It’s what happens when you read a lot, especially Shakespeare. He had a way with words, no doubt.”

“I wouldn’t know. Never read his books.”

“Plays, you mean,” she corrected, flicking her gaze up at him in annoyance. “Or sonnets. But not books.”

“Whatever. So what’s your favorite?”

“Well, I finished _The Taming of the Shrew_ not too long ago, and I can honestly say it was…interesting. Not one of my favorites, but still up for debate. I like Katharina’s character, but how she simply chose to give in at the end to Petrucio, after fightin’ with him through most of the play, baffled me. Either she faked her pledge of love to him or she finally fell for him and decided to give him her heart. Either way, if I were her, I’d keep fightin’. No man as tenacious and cocky as Petrucio would be a match suitable for me, that’s for sure. Nor would I want to submit to any man…” She paused to reload the clip before continuing, “But I’d have to say _Hamlet_ would be my favorite. A young man, betrayed by his uncle who murdered his father and the king, seeks revenge, only to lose his lover and kill so many people in the end, including his mother and several followers, and of course his uncle. Still, it is a masterpiece. What I would give to see the play in person!”

“Maybe the theatre in Blackwater will perform it someday,” Jack said. “I’m sure that place has thought about puttin’ on shows like that.”

“One can only hope,” Maddie said with a glint of optimism in her eyes. “If ever the time comes, I’ll be the first to witness it.”

“I’m sure you will, Maddie. And you’ll be quotin’ all of it, won’t you?”

“Not all,” she said with a smirk. “Maybe most of it, but not all.” With both pistols ready for the next day, Maddie holstered them before taking off her gun belt and standing up off the bed. She crossed the room and set her pistols in the armoire before returning to her bed and sitting back down. She picked up her Henry repeater and began taking it apart.

Jack noted how methodical she seemed as she took care of her firearms. “Do you do this all the time?”

“What do you mean?”

He nodded to the firearm in her hands. “Do you always clean your guns before you bring a bounty in?”

She chuckled. “I clean them whenever they need it, Marston. It’s not like I do this every single time.” She shook her head as she worked. “Yet again you’re over-thinkin’ things.”

“Hey, I’m new at this. It’s not like I know how you do things, anyways. I’m just being observant is all.”

She harrumphed in reply and kept her concentration on her gun.

“So…,” he began, even though he was running out of topics to talk about.

She glanced up at him through her eyelashes. “So…?”

“So how many bounties have you brought in? What will the count be for this one tomorrow?”

“I didn’t care to keep track after ten, honestly. It’s just another bounty, just another handful of cash for me, a _transaction_ , if you will.” She paused in her dismantling to ponder on his inquiry. “If you combine the bounties I’ve bagged in Mexico with the bounties in the States, I guess it’s up to twenty or so.”

Jack narrowed his eyes at her. “Get off your high horse and come straight, Maddie. Don’t make up some number to impress me.”

She shot him a testing sneer. “I’m not lyin’, Marston. I’ve brought in _that many bounties_. You don’t believe me? Ask Bonnie or any other person on the ranch or here around town, or hell, even over in Blackwater, and they’ll give you the facts. I’m good at what I do, and I make an honest living.”

“I’m not saying you don’t. I’m just sayin’ it’s hard to believe you’ve brought in _that_ many people when you’re only eighteen.”

“Nineteen, Marston. I’m nineteen.”

“Whatever. Nineteen. Anyways, I’m just bein’--”

“A pain in my ass?” she interjected with a quirky grin. “What else is new?”

“Oh, shut it, Maddie. If it weren’t for me, your life wouldn’t be interestin’. You’d just be off gettin’ bounties and workin’ on Bonnie’s ranch if I wasn’t around to keep you on your feet.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re _far_ from interesting, boy. If anything, I’d say you’re a tragedy. Hell, you’d almost fit perfectly in a Shakespeare play. You’re like Hamlet, or some other bandit, but with a less interesting storyline. An utter failure of a poet, flamboyantly-dressed, no less, is what you’d most likely be.”

“And what about you? What would you be, some renegade princess ridin’ around on her horse with your hair blowin’ in the wind and firin’ bullets into the sunset?”

“Maybe so, Jack, but I’d say that’s better than bein’ a--”

She was cut off by the sounds of moaning and the thumping of a bed frame against the wall from the room next door. Her jaw dropped in horror and disgust.

For the longest second, Jack and Maddie sat staring awkwardly at each other. Jack felt his face flush terribly; not knowing what else to do, he laughed weakly and gave his companion an uncomfortable smirk. When the erotic noises intensified, Maddie pounded her fist three times on the wall and hollered, “KNOCK. IT. OFF! THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE WHO DON’T NEED TO HEAR THAT!”

The couple next door, most likely a working girl and her client, abruptly stopped. Silence reigned for a lengthy minute before Maddie was able to give a relieved sigh. She hastily cleaned her repeater before reassembling it.

Jack had to chuckle at this. “Maddie, you _do_ realize this is a saloon. Things like that are _bound_ to be happenin’.”

“Trust me, I’m aware of that,” she huffed back. “I’ve endured my fair share of sleepless nights in a saloon, but if it’s all right with you, I’d rather not try to talk over them while they’re doing the deed over there.”

“Fine by me.”

“Now where was I before I was so _disgustingly_ interrupted?”

He grinned. “You were saying something about me being a poet or something…?”

“Ah! That’s right. Anyway, I think all in all we’d suit just fine in a Shakespeare play.”

He rolled his eyes as he stuffed his belongings back into his duffel bag. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that. I’m not one for poems and songs and tales of the olden days, not that far back at least.”

She smirked and looked him over with a flicker of affection. “That’s true, I suppose. But didn’t you say you wanted to become a writer or something?”

He paused in his packing and frowned with sadness. “I did…once. Now I’m not so sure.”

“Why not?”

Jack shoved the last of his belongings into the bag before dropping it on the floor beside his feet. He leaned down and began taking off his boots. Grunting with effort, he said, “Too much has happened to me to pick up on a dream long since lost. I don’t think it would suit me well even if I tried.”

Maddie’s face softened into a sympathetic countenance as she encouraged, “But you should at least try. Hell, who knows what you might discover? You could write a best-seller and be well on your way into literary history like Shakespeare.”

He scoffed as he took off his bandolier and guns. “I doubt it, Maddie. You said yourself my writing would be absolute shit.” He stood and walked over to the armoire to retire his things within it.

Maddie watched him with a slight frown. “Yeah, but I was jokin’, Marston. That’s just how I talk to people.”

“You _could_ try bein’ nice for a change,” he said as he walked back to his bed. He took his hat off and placed it carefully atop his bag. “But I know you won’t,” he added as he took off his duster and tossed it over the edge of the bed frame.

“You’d be surprised, _princess_. I can be a lady sometimes. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it’s a rare and beautiful gift.”

Jack guffawed as he sat down heavily on the bed. “I bet. But until such day comes, I’ll keep believin’ you’re a bitter woman with a backbone made of steel.”

“One day, I’ll surprise you,” she responded playfully, flashing her eyebrows. She stood up and retired her gun in the armoire. She took off her duster, vest, and hat and set them inside the armoire as well.

Jack watched her all the while, blushing slightly for some reason. When she turned and walked back to her bed, he averted her gaze.

“One day, I’ll be the nicest woman you’ve ever met,” she continued as she sat down on the edge of her bed. Her hair draped down her front and sides like a dark blanket of silk as she bent down and took off her boots. She flung back the bed sheets and climbed into bed with an exhausted sigh. “But,” she said with a grin, “until such day comes, I’ll just keep bein’ myself.”

Jack snorted through his nose. He too climbed into bed tiredly. “Somehow, I don’t doubt that.”

Maddie laughed as she drew the covers to her chin. She ran an arm underneath her shoulder and flicked her hair out from underneath her before settling into bed. “Get some sleep, Marston. Tomorrow, we bring in your first bounty, and we’re gonna need all the preparation we can to be successful.”

“Alright, then. ‘Night, Miss Maddie.”

“‘Night, Jack.”


	11. Redemption in Dub

**Chapter Track** : “Redemption in Dub” – Bill Elm and Woody Jackson, _Red Dead Redemption_ soundtrack

 

“Marston. Hey. Marston, wake up.”

Jack felt his shoulder being jostled about. Jerking awake, he looked up into Maddie’s eyes. He ran a hand over his face. “Hmm? What?”

“Get up,” she whispered earnestly. “It’s time to go. Hurry up.”

Jack peered about the room; it was still pitch black and cold. “What time is it?” he groaned as he sat up in bed.

“Four o’clock. Now come on. Hop to it.” She was already dressed and ready to go; her hair was tied back into a single long braid. Her red scarf adorned her neck, covering it completely and draping down the front of her vest. Her brown eyes burned eagerly as she beckoned him to stand. “Come on. We need to be out of town and on the road as quick as possible. I want us to be in position and ready before dawn approaches.”

“Alright, alright,” he grumbled as he got out of bed and went over to the armoire, where he retrieved his belongings and got dressed as quick as he could muster. He loaded his revolver and repeater, cursing under his breath when his fingers fumbled in the chilly morning air. He threw the rest of his things in his duffel bag and hefted it over his shoulder.

“Leave it,” Maddie instructed. “We’ll be back in town later. Besides, if we carry our bags, they’ll slow us down and get in our way.”

Jack tossed his bag onto his bed and slung his repeater over his back in place of it. He shrugged his duster on, strapped on his bandolier and revolver, and tugged on his hat before nodding to his companion, signaling his readiness. Maddie nodded in return before walking out of the room. Jack followed, quietly closing the door behind him and locking it with the key the bartender had given him.

The stable boy standing outside the livery holding their saddled horses. The poor boy was shivering in his place, despite wearing many layers of clothes, but he made no utterance of discomfort as he handed Maddie and Jack the reins to their horses. Maddie tipped him an extra dollar and patted him on the shoulder. “Go inside and stay warm, little one. You’ve done your job well; you deserve to go back to bed.”

The boy thanked her and disappeared into the stable.

“That was generous of you,” Jack noted as he mounted Sundance. The leather saddle creaked loudly as he took his seat and gathered the reins. Beneath him, Sundance yawned and swished his tail sleepily.

“I felt bad for the kid,” Maddie answered as she mounted Gypsy. “It’s a little cold out this morning for such a little thing like him to be standing out here waiting for us.” She tugged her hat down lower. “Right. Let’s get goin’.” She clicked her tongue, and Gypsy bobbed her head as she bounded forward into a brisk trot. Jack followed suit, and he urged Sundance faster as she spurred her horse into a gallop after they passed the train station and livestock pens. He and Maddie soon galloped their horses down the road towards the hills of Cholla Springs.

Jack could barely see the wilderness around him; all that he could discern was the road he and Maddie rode upon.  The moon hardly gave them any light, and the stars weren’t showing as brightly as he wanted them to be. The biting wind sucked the heat from his body with an insatiable thirst; he shivered in the saddle. With the combination of being cold, tired, and hungry, he wasn’t in the cheeriest of moods as he followed Maddie’s lead.

Not a single word was shared between the two as they rode their horses closer to their bounty target’s last known location. A sense of urgency and wariness settled deep within Jack’s heart, making it pound with trepidation. _What if I screw up?_ he thought as he leaned further into the saddle and held the reins before him. _Then what?_ Nearer and nearer they rode to Rattlesnake Hollow; higher and higher Jack’s skepticism and fear rose. He dared not let it show, however, and he kept his cold visage on at all times. Still, he wondered if Maddie felt just as scared as he was. _I doubt it_ , he mused, shaking his head. _She’s as cold as this morning has been. I doubt if she feels anything anymore._

Suddenly, Maddie turned her horse off the road and headed northeast. Jack reined Sundance after her and her black mare. They loped their horses up the steady incline towards the rock face that made up the spine of the Redemption Mountains. However, around one-hundred-and-fifty yards away from Rattlesnake Hollow, Maddie reined her horse over to several boulders flanked by a thicket of brush. Jack pulled up his tired mount beside her. As quietly as possible, they dismounted their horses behind their cover.

Maddie frowned as she took in their surroundings, surveying their odds. “Goddamn it,” she whispered and shook her head. “These bastards have the advantage.” She reached behind her back and took off her sniper rifle. She looked through the scope and frowned even deeper. “It’s flat ground all the way up to the base of the rock, and those shitheads are way up high compared to us. We’d be screwed out here if we hadn’t have gotten here before dawn.” She elbowed Jack in the ribs and bragged, “See? What did I tell ya? I _knew_ it was great idea to get here before sunrise.”

“If you say so,” he grumbled back and peered over the boulders. “You see anyone awake, or all they all still asleep?”

She scanned the camp and surrounding area and shook her head. “Looks like these guys aren’t too worried about bounty hunters sneakin’ up to them this early.” She grinned devilishly as she slung her rifle back over her shoulder. “Perhaps we _can_ have the advantage here.” She looked back at Jack. “We’ll leave our horses here. Now, follow me and be as quiet and swift as you can!” Without warning, she took off towards the rock base, running in a half-crouch with her right hand hovering over her pistol.

Jack jogged after her, feeling the adrenaline rise even though the camp above them remained silent and still. He kept looking up at the sleeping gang, expecting them to jump to their feet and shoot him down in mid-stride. Luckily, as Maddie stopped behind another cluster of boulders that were forty feet from the base of the camp, no one stirred above them.

Maddie glanced over at him as they squatted down behind a boulder and a patch of thickets. “You ready for this, Marston?” She drew her pistol and pulled back the toggle, loading it.

He swallowed down his rising terror as he cocked his revolver. “Y-yeah,” he replied as confidently as he could.

She chuckled softly and flashed her eyebrows at him. “You sure? You look like you’re scared shitless.”

He scoffed, letting himself be humored in his hour of anxiety. He looked up at the glowing campfire and the sleeping gang members. “I’m no yellowbelly, if that’s what you’re gettin’ at.”

“I never said you were. I just said you look scared.”

“I’m not,” he snapped as he looked back at her with a resolving glare.

“Alright, then.” She peered at the campsite and inhaled through her nose. She exhaled shakily through her mouth. Jack could’ve sworn he saw a tremor of fear cross her body.

“Are you sure _you’re_ ready for this?” he questioned with a cocked eyebrow. “You look nervous as hell.”

“You never quite get used to the thrill of bounty hunting,” she replied with a wild gleam in her eye. “I live for these moments.”

“What moments?”

“The moment of fear, of the realization that you could die, and then later when you’re aware that you’ve survived and how gratifying it feels. _That’s_ the moment I’m talkin’ about. The fear of death and the glory of life.” She motioned to him with a nod. “What, you’ve never experienced that feeling before?”

He looked to the side, unable to look at her as he thought back to his many life-or-death moments. “Yes. A couple of times.”

“Then this shouldn’t be too bad for you,” she said and looked back at the campfire. She nodded encouragingly to herself, then faced Jack and instructed, “Alright, here we go.” She looked around for the best cover possible for her; she found it thirty yards to the right behind a boulder about as big as the one they hid behind. “I’m gonna take cover behind that rock. You stay here and cover for me. I’m gonna try to sneak up to them and cut them down one by one, hopefully as quietly and efficiently as possible. When I spot Charlie, I’ll shoot his leg so you can tell which one he is. If you see anyone get up and go for their gun, you take them down. You think you can handle that, Jack?”

“What if I screw up, or you get shot, or--?”

“Just man up and face this, Marston. Don’t worry yourself sick. You do that, and you’re bound to get yourself killed. Focus, aim, and shoot. That’s all you have to do. That and don’t get shot.” She looked him deep in the eyes and smirked with confidence. She rested a comforting hand on his shoulder and lightly shook it. “ _You can do this, Jack_. I _know_ you can. Just think back on all the target practice you’ve done. Look for your targets, aim, and shoot.” She jerked her head up in the direction of the gang. “They’re nothin’ but empty bottles, Jack.”

“And if our plan fails? What then?”

“Then we’ll improvise,” she responded with a slight snicker. “Just try not to get yourself killed, okay, Marston? I’d hate to have to ride all the way out here just to lose you on our first bounty hunt.”

“It’s gonna take more than a bunch of half-witted outlaws to take me down,” he said. He gripped his repeater tightly and rose his chin in defiance.

Maddie looked back to her chosen hiding spot. “Keep your eyes peeled if anyone starts to wake.” She glanced back at him, smirked, and added, “Good luck.”

“You too.”

Crouching, she ran as quickly and as quietly as possible to her position, her duster whipping about behind her and her long braid bouncing about on her back. Within moments, she had reached her spot and knelt behind the boulder, panting and gripping her pistol firmly. She reached behind her left gun holster and unsheathed her hunting knife. To Jack’s horror and fascination, she crept up to the camp, her pistol and knife at the ready.

_She’s crazy!_ he thought with a shake of his head. _She’s gonna get herself killed!_ She reminded him of an assassin, sneaking around in plain sight, inches from danger and yet approaching it with undaunted bravery. He commended her for her skill and her lack of empathy towards the criminals, as well as how softly she tread as she came up to her first victim, a middle-aged man snoring in his bed roll. The moonlight glinted off the blade of her hunting knife, a sly and malicious flash of deadly intent in the gray dawn-light, as she held it hovering about the man’s exposed throat. She paused for the slightest second; Jack was unable to discern her facial expression, but he guessed it had to be a mixture of sadness, guilt, and hesitation…before she slit his throat with a violent jerk of her arm. The man thrashed in his bed roll, blood spurting all over his chest and the ground around him. Gargled screams bellowed out of his mouth. The remaining four members, including Charlie, jerked awake and stumbled to their feet.

Maddie moved on to the next victim, her knife dripping with tendrils of red and glinting gleefully in the fading night. The closest man, who had rushed to his feet and was reaching for his revolver, was easily dispatched as she pressed the barrel of her pistol to his chest and fired. Before the man collapsed completely onto the ground at her feet, she was already moving forward and pointing her gun at the next man to be slaughtered. She aimed at her third victim’s face and fired, obliterating his skull and sending his lifeless body sailing backwards onto the ground.

She looked around for the bounty target and grinned evilly as she spotted him running away. In one fluid motion, she spun around, aimed, and fired. Charlie screamed and fell as her bullet tore through his left thigh. She half-turned and saw another man who was sloppily drawing his revolver. In the next instant, she held her hunting knife aloft, spinning it around in her fingers so that she held it by the blade. She drew her arm back and prepared to throw.

Jack gasped as he saw one of the last two remaining men drawing his gun. Her back was turned to him. He took a deep breath in and steadied his shaking hand. _Come on, now,_ he thought encouragingly to himself. _Just focus, aim, and shoot. Focus…aim…and shoot._ Exhaling through his mouth, he aimed and squeezed the trigger just as Maddie threw her hunting knife at the man who was drawing back the hammer on his gun.

He gasped with elation when the man who’d snuck up behind Maddie fell to the ground with a gargled bellow of excruciation. Jack moved his sights to the last man standing and gunned him down as well, just as Maddie’s hunting knife buried itself in the man’s chest.

And then it was over. Rattlesnake Hollow and Cholla Springs became eerily quiet in a matter of seconds; the echoes of the gunshots and the screams of dying men haunted over the land like ghostly sighs. Jack stood up, climbed up the sloping ledge, and joined Maddie, who stood above Charlie Mash with her pistol pointed at his forehead. The man’s eyes were wide with a mixture of excruciation and surprise. He held his wounded leg with one hand and shielded his face with the other, whimpering and pleading to her.

“Please, ma’am, I’ll give ya anything if ya just let me go. Don’t shoot me down like the rest of my boys! Christ, I don’t wanna die!”

Maddie kicked him in the stomach, silencing him quickly. “I don’t take orders or listen to beggin’ from scum like you. Just lie there and shut the hell up.” She looked up as Jack walked up to her with his lasso in his hands. “Good. You’re finally up here.” She nodded down to their captive. “Now hogtie him and let’s be off.”

“Jesus Christ,” Jack murmured as he walked up to the carnage of the camp. His jaw dropped as he saw the gallons of blood that splattered and stained the ground and the dead outlaws lying around the smoldering campfire. He winced at the sight of the second to last man he’d shot down: Maddie’s hunting knife protruded out of his chest, showing only the hilt. He shivered as his eyes ran over the butchery he and Maddie had caused. He looked up at his companion. He gestured to the bloodshed around them and asked, “What the hell, Maddie?”

She blinked as she glanced up at him. “What?”

“Was that _really necessary?_ ”

“I don’t see why you’re getting’ so upset, Jack,” she retorted as she bent down and withdrew her hunting knife from the dead man’s chest. She wiped off the blood with the corpse’s shirt before straightening and turning to him. “I thought you knew this was gonna happen.” She shook her head as she sheathed her hunting knife. “You’re actin’ as if you’ve never killed a man before, which is quite ironic as to the reason you’re here.”

Jack advanced toward her and shoved his face into hers. “Maddie, there’s a difference between bounty huntin’ and slaughterin’ people in their sleep! _You just massacred these men!_ I don’t think I’ve EVER seen such hostility! I mean, my God, Maddie, do you not have empathy anymore?”

“ _Empathy?_ ” she exclaimed. She threw back her head and guffawed before retorting coldly, “Why should I empathize with murderers, criminals, and outlaws? _They’re_ the ones who’ve put themselves in their own nasty situation. It is _they_ who must pay for their crimes, _they_ who must answer to the law and be put to justice. I am simply doin’ my job by whatever means necessary. Do you _really think_ I give a _shit_ about empathy, or sympathy, or even pity when it comes to dealing with the scum of the earth? As you may recall, when we first met, I treated you like shit, and you know why? Because you deserved to be treated like that, and you needed to be taught right from wrong. You needed to be shown the misdeeds you’ve done and the steps needed to correct them. That’s why you’re here, is it not? As for taking pity on outlaws, I will do no such thing when they can easily turn against me and attempt to get away with more murder and more crimes.”

“I ain’t no murderer, miss!” Charlie barked up at her, his brow furrowing in retaliation. “You’ve got it all wrong, lady. I ain’t never killed no one and I--”

Maddie silenced him with another sharp kick of her boot. “I said shut it, you bastard!”

Jack knelt down beside Charlie, turned him onto his back, and bound his hands. As he worked, he proclaimed, “Maddie, if we’re gonna be doin’ this together, we’re gonna do this in a more humane way. You remember what you said to the sheriff yesterday? You said that you didn’t care how I go about doing this job, and that you were only here with me to make sure I do it in the most honorable way.” He finished tying the bounty, jerking back on the tether to make sure it was tight before cutting off the slack and looping his lasso around his satchel. He stood up and faced Maddie with a scowl, gesturing to the carnage around them once more as he continued, “And yet here you are, murderin’ people left and right like they’re nothin’ but animals! I find that rather disturbing, seeing as you’re supposed to be upholdin’ the law and doin’ what’s right! So if I’m gonna be doin’ this with you, I should have _some_ say in how it gets done.” He planted his boots, his spurs tinkling loudly, and pointed down at the ground for emphasis. “And _I_ say we should do this in a more civilized way.”

“‘ _Civilized’?_ Coming from you, that’s hard to believe. Wasn’t it _you_ who killed fourteen people in a blind streak of--?”

“THAT DOESN’T FUCKING MATTER ANYMORE!” he roared, slicing a hand through the air and cutting her off. “What _does_ matter is that we do this the RIGHT way! I don’t care if you think you have all the experience! I don’t care if you believe what you’re doin’ is the right way! All I care about is that I get this done and I get my life back.”

Maddie stood before him slack-jawed. She holstered her pistol. “Damn, Jack, I…I never thought you’d be so… _passionate_.” She shook her head, her long braid sliding back and forth across her back. “Maybe you _are_ like your father after all.”

Jack stared her down, his breathing heavy and his chest heaving. Without another word, he turned and stormed down to the base of the rock. He looked out towards where their horses were hiding and whistled for them; they came galloping, their ears perked and their manes and tails twirling behind them. He chuckled when Sundance bucked in mid-stride and Gypsy tossed her head. As the horses slowed and trotted up to him, he shook his head and grabbed their reins.

“Easy, you two,” he commanded softly, patting their necks and stroking their muzzles. Gypsy blew noisily and bobbed her head in response; Sundance nickered and pranced in place. Jack led them up the winding trail to Maddie. He yelped with surprise when Sundance suddenly planted his hooves in the ground and nearly ripped the reins out of his hands. He was almost drug by his horse as the stallion began backpedaling wildly, and he had to let go of Gypsy’s reins in order to grab Sundance’s reins with both hands and pull back.

“That’s close enough for him, Jack,” Maddie ordered. Roughly grabbing Charlie by his tethers, she rolled him over onto his back, knelt, and with some amount of difficulty, threw the man over her shoulder. Groaning, she stood up and walked over to Gypsy. The black mare stood still as her rider rid herself of the cumbersome weight of the bounty and shrugged him off over her horse’s hind quarters. With a sigh of relief, Maddie tied the man to her saddle with the saddle strings. Once she was done, she mounted her horse and rode up to him.

Jack looked up at her, still angered at how she handled the gang members. “We ready to go?”

She nodded harshly and narrowed her eyes at him. “Yes. Now mount up. Let’s head back to Armadillo and deliver this trash to the sheriff.”

He grunted his acknowledgement and mounted his scared steed. Without another word, he and Maddie rode away from Rattlesnake Hollow, leaving behind the bloody battlefield for the wolves and other scavengers to discard of.

The ride to Armadillo was spent in utter silence; neither bounty hunter looked at the other, much less spoke, as they loped their horses toward Armadillo. By this time, the sun was well within the sky; Jack reckoned it was almost eight in the morning. At around nine o’clock, they rode into town, dismounted their horses in front of the sheriff’s office, and rid themselves of their first bounty by crossing his name off the list and giving him over to Hershel, Jonah, and Eli. As promised, Jack was given forty dollars and his first pardon letter of fourteen he needed to collect. He was surprised when Hershel shook his hand, patted him respectively on the shoulder, and said, “Well done, boy. Not too bad for your first bounty.” Jack merely glared at Maddie out of the corner of his eye and murmured, “Sure, sheriff.”

The second their business was ended with the sheriff, Maddie mounted back up and murmured, “Come, let’s take our horses to the livery. I’m sure they could use some rest.”

With a grunt of acknowledgement, he mounted Sundance and followed her to the livery. They gave their horses over to the same stable boy from earlier that morning. As the boy led their exhausted horses away, Maddie turned and slapped Jack’s arm with the back of her hand. She nodded to the saloon and said, “Come no, Marston. Let’s go celebrate. First round’s on me.”

Without a word, he followed her to the saloon, and very quickly, he found himself standing beside her at the bar.

“Bartender, set us up a round!” she proclaimed proudly, waving the man over to their side.

The man sat two shot glasses down in front of them. “And your poison of choice, Miss Maddie?”

“The finest whiskey you’ve got in this place.” Maddie held up her shot glass the second the man finished pouring their drinks. Jack did the same as she proclaimed, “To a job well done, and to bein’ one step closer to redemption.” They threw back their shots in unison and gasped at the strength of the whiskey.

For several minutes, the silence between them reigned, and neither one could bring themselves to break it. Jack leaned against the bar with his elbows and turned his empty shot glass in his fingers in his right hand. Maddie stood beside him quietly, occasionally glancing over at him. To pass the awkward silence, she took off her hat and undid her hair from the braid. Out of the corner of his eye, Jack noted how beautiful she looked with her wavy dark hair. He looked away just as she met gazes with him; he put his usual scowl on just as she did a double-take, studying him intently before staring down at the bar with a frustrated sigh.

“Are you angry with me?” she asked in a soft undertone.

It took a lot of effort for him to answer back. “Yes.”

“What for?”

“You know damn well what,” he hissed and slammed his glass onto the counter. “And buying me drinks isn’t gonna win back my respect, Maddie.”

She turned and faced him fully, resting her right elbow on the counter. “What the hell do you want from me, Jack?”

“Do you enjoy slaughtering men?” He glared down at her, eyes ablaze with angry revelation. “Do you take your anger out on men, outlaws no less, simply because of the hatred you have for your father and fulfillin’ the urge to avenge your mother’s death? Is that why you do what you do, or is it for some other sick, psychotic reason?”

Her mouth dropped open. She stared up at him in bewilderment. “Jack, how do you…? I…Why are you…?”

“Answer me! Do you kill men in the hope of gettin’ revenge?”

“Well, I suppose I do, goddamn it! But what else am I gonna do, besides give up and settle down and become the housewife everyone expects me to be? I like doin’ what I do. I’d like to think I make an honest living out of it. Sure, I may overstep my boundaries--”

“Oh, you think?”

“--but I do my job nevertheless! Sometimes you _have_ to bend the rules in order to do what needs to be done.”

Jack shook his head in disgust. “You’re no better than the lawmen you work with, much less the outlaws you hunt down and kill.”

“How do you figure, Jack?” she demanded, taking a hostile step towards him. “Tell me how I’m no better than them!”

Jack held his ground as he replied, “Well, if you were as justified as you think you are, you wouldn’t be goin’ around slaughtering bounties and their gang members like what you did this morning! Does the sheriff even _know_ of your so-called “methods”? Does he _know_ of all the unnecessary bloodshed you’ve caused, or does he, like all the other lawmen, just turn the other way and pretend to not see how much of a murderer you are, how much alike you are to the people you hunt down?”

She slapped the counter with one hand, pointed a shaking finger at him with the other, and spat, “First of all, I am NOT like those criminal scum! And second, I am NOT a murderer! Sure, I have had to change my methods in the past to bring the bounties in, but I can assure you I’m not as much as the warmongering woman you take me for! Do you realize how difficult it is for me to be taken seriously in a world full of judgmental men such as yourself?”

“That still doesn’t justify your brutality. Whether you’re a bounty hunter, a lawman, or a criminal, you’re still a murderer with a gun.”

“There’s a difference, Jack Marston, and I’ll prove it to you!”

“How?” he chuckled back. “How is there a difference? I could claim I’m a bounty hunter just like you and go ridin’ around on my horse shootin’ down outlaws and justifyin’ it by saying that they deserved it. _All men deserve a second chance, Maddie._ Every man is mortal, and every man makes mistakes, but that doesn’t give you or anybody else the right to go around gunning other people down.”

“You say that, yet that happens all the time.”

Jack sighed and shook his head. “Yes, and it’s all bullshit. My father is dead because of that _very reason_. He did what the law wanted him to do, goin’ after men he once considered family, and when he got back home to Ma and me, it _still_ wasn’t good enough for them. They _still_ shot him down like a dog, all because they couldn’t let the “last outlaw” live the rest of his life in peace with his family. Nothing gets forgiven in the end, I suppose.”

Maddie bit down on her lower lip and shook her head. “I suppose not, Jack.”

“Which brings me to another point, Maddie,” he continued, giving her a steely glare. “If this is how you’re gonna handle things, I’ll tell the sheriff about your so-called “methods” and that I would rather be in jail than do this job with you. You got that?”

She couldn’t bring herself to speak, so she nodded curtly.

Jack waved the bartender over and nodded to his glass. The man filled it and watched him as he threw back the shot without flinching. He took the right amount of cash from his satchel and handed it to the man.

Maddie shook her head, stunned. “Goddamn, Marston.”

“What?” he snapped as he looked back at her.

“You just keep surprisin’ me.”

“You do, too, in your own sick way.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Watch it, boy.”

“I ain’t afraid of you, Maddie.”

“Even after this morning? So you’re tellin’ me that you’re not even the _slightest_ bit scared after what you saw me do?”

Jack snorted through his nose. “Not one bit.”

“Liar.”

He scoffed. “Anyone’s capable of murder, Maddie. Need I remind you you’re talkin’ to someone who has killed quite a fair share of people, or do you want to delight in rubbin’ that in my face again?”

She inclined her head in defeat. “Touché, Marston. You got me there.”

“I know.”

“You’re a bastard, you know that?”

“I know,” he repeated and smirked at her.

The two bounty hunters shared an affectionate look. As if in acceptance of each other’s faults, as well as apologies, they exchanged grins. To Jack’s surprise, Maddie clapped a hand to his shoulder in a reverent way. In response, he nodded down to her empty shot glass and asked, “Need another?”

She smirked gratefully up at him. “Sure.”

He waved the bartender over and said, “Pour us another. This one’s on me.” He tossed down the cash on the counter. The bartender filled their glasses to the brim.

Maddie was just about to grab her shot glass when an inebriated cowpoke stumbled up beside her. He wasn’t the greasiest, nastiest-looking man in the saloon, but he still reeked of body odor and dirt. His breath stank of alcohol as he wheezed, “Well, ain’t you somethin’, little missy, walkin’ in here lookin’ how you are.” He looked her up and down with hungry attentiveness and added, “You’re pretty.”

“You’re not,” Maddie replied and shot him a warning glare out of the corner of her eye.

Beside her, Jack glared venomously at the man. His body tensed and his anger rose with every passing second.

The man grinned lasciviously at her, exposing a nasty set of yellow teeth. “How much does a pretty little thing like you charge? I see you handle your whiskey well, so I’s wonderin’ if you’d like to handle me the way you handle yer shots. What kinda services do _you_ do, lil’ missy?”

“I can perform a slow and excruciating castration with my hunting knife, or with my spurs, or with my bare hands, if you like. Free of charge.” She picked up her shot glass and held it before her, glaring at the glass and becoming quite perturbed.

The man slapped her backside, making her spill her shot on her hand and sleeve. “WHOO! I like me a dirty, rough whore! Keep talkin’, honey! It can only get better from here!”

“That’s it!” Jack slammed down his shot glass, walked around Maddie, and grabbed the man by the collar. “I’m gonna beat the shit outta you, you disrespectful son of a bitch!” He brought up a shaking fist and was about to swing when Maddie grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him politely back.

“Allow me, Jack,” she stated with a coy smirk, setting down her glass before facing the drunkard. She brushed her hand across the side of the man’s sullied face and weaved her fingers through his greasy blonde hair. As the man stepped closer to her for a sloppy kiss, she grabbed the back of his head and slammed his face down onto the bar. The man wailed in agony, and before he could react, she straightened him back up, turned him so that he faced her, and drove her knee into his groin. The man crumpled to the floor in the fetal position at her feet with one hand clutching at his broken, bleeding nose and the other at his crotch.

Maddie faced the bar and picked her shot glass back up. She threw back the shot and set it back down on the counter. She beckoned for the bartender to pour her another; the man did so quickly. All around them, the bar fell eerily silent, except for the drunken man’s moans of agony. All eyes were locked on Maddie; a five-foot radius of clear space grew around her.

Jack took a step or two back from her, one hand drifting protectively over his groin. “Now _that_ was justified,” he said after a moment. “I think it’s safe to say you put him in his place.”

A satisfied smile graced her beautiful face. She winked coyly at him and remarked, “I do believe you’re right, Mister Marston.”

He hesitantly stepped closer to her and picked up his shot glass. “Remind me not to fuck with you.” All around them, the people of the saloon slowly resumed their business.

“Oh, after seeing this, I don’t think you’ll be needin’ any reminding,” she chuckled back. “Besides, you’re a better man than he will ever be in his entire life. You’re not as big a pig as he is, and comin’ from me, that’s sayin’ a lot.”

He grinned and inclined his head. “Thank you, Maddie. You’re one hell of a woman.”

“Thank _you_ , Jack. You’re not too bad of a man.”


	12. Compromises and Promises

**Chapter Track** : “Rusty Cage” – Johnny Cash

 

“I don’t see why we have to do it this way. There are more effective ways of gettin’ this done.”

Jack scowled over at the aggravated woman lying on her stomach in the grass beside him. “Like what? Ride down there shootin’ at every livin’ thing and creating all sorts of havoc? Sorry, Maddie, but your methods are far too bloody for my liking.”

“I have never done such a reckless and stupid thing,” she countered as she picked up her Carcano rifle from the ground. She pressed the butt of the gun to her shoulder and looked through the scope down into the valley below them. “Only _you_ would conjure up that ridiculous of a scene.”

“Hey, I might’ve been the one to think it up, but I’m not stupid enough to act on it.” He reached behind him and fetched his binoculars out of his satchel. “We’ve agreed on this to take this bounty in _my_ way. You said yourself you’d let me plan for this one, just to see how it works. And it’ll work, trust me.”

“Who slapped a badge on you and called you the law?”

“Maddie, will you just please shut up? You’re givin’ me a headache with all your talking.” His headache was a roaring thunderstorm earlier that morning; now it had settled into a dull throb but was coincidentally being exacerbated with each argument they’d had leading up to this point. He looked through his binoculars and situated himself more comfortably in the grass. “Do you _ever_ stop talkin’, Madeline?”

“ _Don’t_ call me that, and only when you stop pissin’ me off. Besides, it’s not my fault you have a hangover. I wasn’t the one tellin’ you to drink after we brought in Charlie yesterday.”

He glared at her out of the corner of his eye. “You pissed me off, so it _is_ your fault.”

“Hey, we’ve been over this,” she griped as she lowered her rifle to the grass and gave him an annoyed frown. “We made a compromise we’d do this a different way, _your_ way.” Her tone sounded as if she were poking fun at him.

“That we did. I’m surprised you agreed to my terms, seein’ as you’re so damn stubborn.” His eyes were fixed on Maurice down below them in Rio del Lobo, but he could see her seething gaze fall on him from his peripheral vision. He grinned, amused by her anger, and asked, “What? You don’t like opposition, do you? You just _can’t stand_ to not be in charge, huh?”

She punched his shoulder. “That’s enough outta you, princess. Let’s just cut to the chase and work out how we’re gonna bring in this sorry son of a bitch. I’d like to be back in Armadillo _some_ time today. It’s been quite a cumbersome adventure these past two days with you, and I’m quite tired. I’d like to enjoy a hot bath, maybe even a fine cigar before sundown, if you don’t mind.”

He scoffed and shook his head. “And you call _me_ a princess.”

“Shut up.”

Jack couldn’t help but chuckle as he did a head-count. Including Maurice, there were six men all milling about the small shack that served as their hide-out. “Alright, here’s what we’ll do.” He relayed the information to her.

“‘And thus I clothe my naked villainy, With odd old ends stol’n out of holy writ, And seem a saint, when most I play the devil’,” Maddie quoted with a devilish smirk as she looked back through the scope at her targets. She drew back on the bolt, loading her rifle in one fluid motion, and aimed her sights on the first victim of the afternoon.

“Don’t go all crazy like last time,” Jack admonished. “Remember our agreement.”

She sighed. “ _‘_ Go for a clean kill.’ I know.” She shook her head. “Jesus, I might as well call you Pa.”

“Don’t ever call me that again, Maddie. I’m not your father, I’m just here on business with you makin’ sure you don’t murder these men like last time.”

“I _know_ you’re here on business, dumb-ass. Just shut up and let me do my part, and you do yours. You sure you can handle him while I take his boys out?”

He nodded, feeling it deep in his bones. “It’ll be like shootin’ fish in a barrel.” He flashed his eyebrows imposingly at her. “You sure you can handle such a big gun? If you weren’t laying down, that gun would knock you on your ass, with you bein’ such a little thing and all.”

She leaned her head away from the scope to give him a deadly glare. “I can handle this gun just as good as any man can, hell, even better than you, you shithead. Now shut your trap and get down there. Let’s get this over with.”

From the look she gave him and the acidity of her words, Jack could tell she was past the point of poking fun and more on the livid side. He nodded and crawled backwards down the hill a few feet before carefully crouching and turning around.

“And Marston?”

He stopped in mid-stride, still hunched over, and looked back over his shoulder at her.

“Try not to be a pansy and puss out. You say you can handle this, well then, handle it like a man. I’ll be watchin’ you to make sure. And don’t get all egotistical and make it out as some Wild West show.”

“Like what you did yesterday?”

“Jack, if you don’t get down that hill, I’m gonna shoot you in the ass! Or in a much, _much_ worse place! Now shut up and get goin’!”

He half-jogged, half-slid down the deep hill where Sundance and Gypsy stood at the bottom waiting. The horses’ heads were hung low, their ears lop-sided in an almost sleepy, if not bored, way. Jack mounted Sundance, reached back behind him, and swung his repeater carbine around and held it aloft. With his left hand holding the reins and his right holding the repeater, he spurred Sundance forward. The palomino flicked his ears back in annoyance and gave a small crow-hop. Jack urged him on, reining him around the beginning of the steep hill, just at the top of the ravine that would reveal himself to the gang below. The firearm sat eagerly within his taut grip. It was loaded and ready; now all he had to do was be the catalyst for the small show-down.

Jack pulled Sundance to a stop on the top of the ravine, in plain sight of the men down below him. Several of the gang members immediately grew alerted by his presence. Taking up the gun with both hands while still holding onto the reins with his left, Jack pointed down at the bounty target and yelled, “Maurice Sweet! I’m takin’ you in!”

“Not over my dead body you ain’t!” the bounty taunted back in a raspy roar. All around him, his gang members drew their firearms and pointed them up at Jack.

And then, just as planned, the shooting started. High above them all, Maddie took the first shot and quickly killed the first of five men with a bullet that struck the man dead-center in the chest, dropping him instantly. Before the other men could react and look around for their hidden attacker, Maddie had gunned down another, her aim precisely where she’d shot the first victim.

As the remaining men scrambled for cover, Jack spurred Sundance down the hill and gunned down another man as he scurried behind a corner of the small house for cover. He wasted no time in reloading, aiming, and firing at the next man, who died instantly when Jack shot him in the forehead as he stood up from his cover to shoot at him.

The next two to fall from Maddie’s sniper-aim were dangerously close to Jack as he rode down into the hideout and up to the house. And then, it was like clockwork for Jack, just as he had rehearsed it in his head. Maurice took one sweeping look around, panicked, and bolted for the nearest horse, which were all hitched around the back of the house. Just as the man was about to jam his left boot into the stirrup and mount up, Jack shot Maurice’s calf, right below the knee. With a wail of agony and his arms flailing, Maurice fell onto his back and the horse side-stepped out of the way. As the man struggled to rise and grab his revolver he’d dropped, Jack slung his repeater over his back, unfurled his lasso, swung it a couple times over his head, and threw. As the loop wrapped itself around Maurice’s waist, Jack jerked back on the rope and simultaneously pulled his horse to a sliding stop, forcing the bounty to jink back toward him and fall heavily to the ground with a pained grunt. Jack kept the rope taut between him and his captive as he dismounted, until at last he was upon the man and drove his knee into the man’s back and looped the slack of the lasso around the man’s hands, right on top of the loop that had incarcerated him. All the while, Maurice struggled and swore viciously, panting like a wild animal and growling.

“You’re makin’ a mistake, chap,” Maurice hollered. “I ain’t no steer here!”

“Too bad, ‘cause you look and smell like one,” Jack retorted as he tied the man’s heels together. He turned the bounty onto his back and hoisted him up onto his shoulder. He tied Maurice to the back of Sundance’s saddle; the horse took the odd weight well. As he checked to make sure the man’s bonds were tight to the saddle, he turned and looked over his shoulder at the sound of approaching hoof falls.

Maddie stopped her horse before him and said, “Well, well, Marston, it looks like you’re shapin’ up to be a good bounty hunter.”

“Are _you_ paying _me_ a compliment?! My God, I think I’m gonna have a heart attack!”

She gave him a sardonic frown. “I’ve just about had it with you and your sass today, Marston. You don’t like what I have to say? Then I’ll never be nice to you again.”

He shrugged and flashed his eyebrows coyly up at her. “What else is new, _Madeline_?”

“Call me _Maddie_ , you shithead! I HATE that!”

“Which is why I do it.”

“You keep doin’ that, and you’ll find yourself in a similar position as Maurice here,” she warned as she reined her horse back around. “Now come on. Let’s get back to Armadillo, before I decide to bring you _both_ in.” She spurred Gypsy into a lope and left him in small cloud of dust.

“Sure thing, miss,” Jack chuckled back as he mounted Sundance and rode after her.

 

*             *             *

 

Evening quickly settled over Armadillo; the stars had burst across the black abyss above the town. The saloon was bustling with business as usual, with the piano player’s upbeat honky-tonk music trickling out past the double-swinging bat. Jack stood staring up at the sky, one hand holding a cigarette, the other loosely gripping the railing of the balcony above the saloon. He took a long drag and watched the smoke roll off his lips and branch out above him. It was bested by the large, billowing cloud of blue smoke that came from Maddie, who stood beside him as she struck a match and lit the cigar she’d pined for all day. Contentment ebbed through his body: he received his second pardon letter, got paid, treated himself to a nice bath, changed into his spare pair of clothes, and enjoyed a great meal afterwards, along with several beers.

Maddie had pampered herself in the same manner, though she took twice as long to bathe. She looked content as well, not caring that her hair was still damp. Jack was surprised to see her without her hat on: it was sitting atop her bed in their room. It was a pleasant change. He became fascinated by the way the lights from the town and the moonlight above them made her hair glow in a mixture of warm and cool colors. He swore he could see a tinge of red in her hair. _Must be the Irish blood in her_ , he thought as he savored his cigarette.

“It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?” Maddie sighed as she tilted her head back and looked up at the stars.

“Yeah, it is,” Jack agreed. An adoring smirk formed across his lips as he looked at her. Her eyes held such a child-like fascination and reverence for the world around her, and yet she was the toughest, bull-headed woman he’d ever met, aside from Bonnie, of course.

“There’s nothin’ like a good smoke after a productive day of bounty hunting, eh, Marston?” she said as she looked at him. She nodded to his cigarette, the one she’d bought and rolled for him, and asked, “How’s that treatin’ ya?”

“Pretty damn well, thank you,” he chuckled back. “And you’re right about that. Hell, before you know it, I’ll be a pardoned man. _Then_ what will you do?”

“I’ll be happy to be rid of your annoying sass-mouth and go on to bring in bigger, higher-paying bounties.” She playfully shoved his shoulder with hers. “When that time comes, I’ll go back to bein’ as happy as I was before I started baby-sittin’ you.”

He shoved her back and said, “Oh, that’s bullshit. If anything, you’ll be bored goin’ after bounties all by your lonesome.”

“Pssh! That’s never bothered me before. You’re too full of yourself, Marston.”

“Oh, _I’m_ too full of myself? If anything, I’d say _you’re_ the more pretentious one in this partnership.”

She lifted her chin defiantly as she brought the cigar to her lips and wrapped her mouth around the end of it. Piously, she took three quick puffs before taking one long, deep draw before she leaned toward Jack and blew the smoke in his face. She chuckled as he sputtered and took a step back, waving the smoke away from him.

“Goddamn it, Maddie!”

“That’s what you get for bein’ a pain in my ass.”

Jack didn’t say anything as he scowled at her. He quickly bought his cigarette to his lips, took a long drag of it, before he stepped closer to her and blew the smoke into her face. “Ha! How do ya like _that_?”

She answered back by punching his bicep; Jack grinned down at her.

Their horseplay was abruptly ended when three prostitutes and a pair of rather drunken cowboys stepped out on the balcony from within the bustling building. The two women who had clung themselves to the men they undoubtedly seduced and had come to an agreement with were too busy talking to notice Maddie and Jack. The third prostitute, however, was instantly drawn to Jack like a coyote to a dying rabbit the second she strutted out the door. She stared at him hungrily, sizing him up with a lustful gleam in her eye. Ignoring Maddie completely, she walked over to Jack’s right side and stood leaning back against the railing looking sultrily up at him. Her perfume overpowered his nostrils, nearly making him cough. Jack stiffened in fear and embarrassment, his face flushing badly as he looked down, intending to make eye contact with her but instead witnessing an excessive amount of cleavage. He took a hasty drag off his cigarette and looked deliberately away from her. Maddie cleared her throat and shifted her weight from one leg to the other.

“Hey handsome,” the woman cooed. “Wanna spend some time with me? I’ll make it worth your while.”

“I’m tryin’ to be a good boy, miss,” Jack politely answered back. He took another puff and stared down at his boots, pretending to be very interested in them in the hopes that she’d eventually leave him be.

“A good boy, huh? I’ll make you a dirty man in no time, honey. What do you say?”

“I’m good, thanks,” he murmured. Only when the woman stormed away did he relax and look back up.

Maddie watched the prostitute directed her attention to a nearby gentleman. She snorted through her nose and looked at Jack. She shook her head at him.

“What?” he asked. He turned and faced her, leaning against the railing with his right elbow. The cigarette in his hand quivered; he brought it back up to his lips and took another inhale.

“You’re not takin’ up on her offer. I’m surprised you turned her down so quickly.”

He raised an eyebrow after letting out the smoke. “What, you think I’m attracted to women like _that_?”

She blinked.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head as he turned and faced the train station.

“What?” she asked innocently, turning as well and standing relatively close to him. “Aren’t all men attracted to such salacious display?”

He glared over at her, tilting his head slightly to the side. He flicked the ashes over the railing. “Not all men are attracted to such tasteless, smutty things. Contrary to your ignorant belief, I am _not_ in the _slightest_ bit attracted to whores.”

She stared at him as she took a long, thoughtful puff of her cigar. The smoke swirled and danced around her face as she parted her lips. _That, on the other hand, is attractive_ , he thought as he stared back at her.

“Hmm,” she said, looking off to the side suddenly.

“What?”

“Why is that?”

“Why?” he repeated, his eyebrows raising.

“Yeah. Why?”

He placed the cigarette back into his mouth and thought on how to best word his answer. He took a puff and blew the smoke out of his nostrils, just as he’d seen his father do so many times. “When I see that,” he nodded over at the prostitute, “I think that’s a bit too revealing. It disgusts me, really. I mean, sure, that woman was pretty and all, and she had a, uh….”

“Voluptuous chest?”

He chuckled. “Yes, a voluptuous chest.” He paused and frowned out of embarrassment. “But the way I see it, if I’m gonna look at a woman, if I’m gonna be interested in her, I want to see her for who she really is, not just see all the, uh… _fleshy_ …parts…of her.” He motioned with his hand around his chest, hinting towards bosoms in general, before sweeping his hand down and signaling to the rest of himself to serve his point.

Maddie smirked with a strange gleam in her eyes. “So what you’re sayin’ is you’d not only want to see what’s on the outside, but on the inside as well?”

“Exactly,” he responded as he brought the cigarette back to his lips. He frowned to himself; his cigarette wouldn’t last much longer.

Maddie shook her head. “You’re full of surprises, Jack, I’ll give ya that.”

“So…what do you look for in a man?” Jack asked nonchalantly.

She flinched and leaned away from him, taken completely off-guard. Blinking in rapid succession, she stammered, “Oh, well, I…” She giggled nervously and looked off to the side; she blushed deeply. “I…don’t know. I mean, I never really thought about it.”

“Come on,” he pressed, giving her a sneer.

She tucked her chin into her collarbone and averted his hungry stare. “No.”

“Maddie, come on. I was honest with you, so be honest with me.”

“I said no.”

“Maddie…”

“I just don’t care for that right now!” she explained fiercely. “Doin’ my job is what I care about: it’s what I’ve _always_ cared about. Besides, I just don’t see the point in it all when love just seems like a trifling thing in this world. I’ve seen enough to realize that it just doesn’t last.”

“You mean like your parents’ marriage.”

She nodded bitterly. “Yes.”

“I know how you feel, Maddie. Trust me.”

“Yes, but did your father abandon you?”

Jack bit down on his lip. “No, he didn’t.”

“All I know is if I _were_ married, I would be utterly devoted to my husband. I’d shower him with love every day, tell him every single day. I’d never leave his side, nor would I betray him.”

Jack’s eyes widened. “Your pa didn’t cheat on your ma…did he?”

She frowned. “It was the other way around, actually. But then again, my father wasn’t the most honest person in that marriage, either. I have a hunch that he did it to get back at her. Still, it isn’t somethin’ I’m happy about. I’m surprised my parents stayed together as long as they did…until my mother’s untimely demise.” She paused to take a thoughtful puff off her cigar. “I can somewhat understand why she did it.”

Jack cocked an eyebrow.

“She was locked in an unhappy marriage that she was forced into. She was miserable, I suppose.”

He couldn’t bring himself to comment: there were too many conflicted emotions stirring within him, and he didn’t want to say the wrong thing that would arouse her anger.

“But still…that is no excuse to cheat. I’m not proud of my parents for what they did; it was wrong.”

“I’m sorry,” he murmured.

She shrugged off his condolences and brought the cigar to her lips, puffing reflectively. Her brow furrowed.

“You’re not the only one who’s had to think on that subject,” Jack uttered. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve questioned my parents’ love and devotion to each other. But Pa was never unfaithful, and neither was Ma.”

She gave him a jealous grin as she blew out the smoke. “Lucky you. I’d say you had better parents than I did.”

“I wouldn’t say that, Maddie.” He studied her for a time, smoking all the while. “Ya know, I’ve noticed something about you.”

“What’s that?” She took another puff of her cigar and looked at him through the small cloud of smoke. The smoke coiled and caressed her face before drifting apart and dissipating in the short space between them.

“I’ve noticed you’re not too fond of men. You hate your pa, you certainly don’t trust Nathaniel, much less me, for that matter, and you generalize men’s outlooks and opinions.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I have my reasons for bein’ that way, Jack. You know them, so don’t go blowin’ smoke at me.”

He chortled. “I’m not. I’m just making an observation. You _truly hate_ us men, don’t you?”

She frowned deeply and glared off into the night.

“Why is that?”

“All men lie, Mister Marston.”

“I don’t lie to you.”

“Yes, you do,” she corrected harshly, glaring up at him through her eyelashes.

He leaned in closer to her without realizing it. “You should just give men a chance, Maddie. Not all of us are bad.”

She gave him a defensive look. “Yeah, but there are a fair amount that _are_.”

“Maddie, please. Be reasonable now.” He gestured to himself and to her. “We get along just fine, don’t we?”

“I suppose,” she scoffed through her cigar as she brought it back up to her mouth.

“That’s a start, but I want you to come to realize that some men are worthy of your trust. Drew MacFarlane is a man you trust, right?”

She nodded. “He’s essentially my step-father. So was Landon Ricketts.”

“There ya go. But I can promise you this: I’ll make you come to realize you can trust men once more. I’ll prove it to you by saying that you’ll eventually trust me.”

They shared sarcastic expressions before bursting into laughter.

“We’ll see, Mister Marston,” Maddie said. “We’ll see.”


	13. Pride and Stupidity

**Chapter Track** : “The Shootist” – Bill Elm and Woody Jackson _, Red Dead Redemption_ soundtrack

 

The next morning came quickly for the two bounty hunters; they dressed, ate, and saddled up within an hour of the sun rising and were on the trail of their third bounty. The day was spent traveling toward Silent Stead. They loped their horses across Cholla Springs, passing Odd Fellow’s Rest and through Ridgewood Farm in route to the bounty target’s last known location. By dusk, they made camp several miles east of Silent Stead on a ridge that overlooked a large valley; to their right lay Rathskeller Fork, to the left, Tumbleweed. Jack and Maddie spent very little time speaking, as they were too tired from the long day’s ride: after they ate a considerable portion of their rations, they crawled into their make-shift tents and fell asleep.

When morning came, it was the same. They ate, cleaned up camp, and saddled up in silence; however, when they rode closer to Silent Stead and stopped their horses four-hundred yards away from the homestead, the silence was broken. Jack took out his binoculars from his satchel and scanned the surroundings; Maddie grabbed her Carcano rifle from behind her and looked through the scope. As she lowered the rifle, she said, “Son of a bitch.”

“We’re gonna have to ride up to them head-on, aren’t we?” Jack lowered the binoculars and looked over at her.

“Not unless we think of something else.” She glanced over at him. “You got any ideas, Marston?”

He shook his head dejectedly. “Not a damn clue. Guess it’s your turn to call the shots, Miss Maddie.”

“I guess so,” she agreed and brought the rifle back up to her shoulder. She looked through the scope once more. “Unless…” She brought the gun back down, biting on her lower lip as she looked back at Jack.

“What?” he asked.

She held the Carcano rifle out to him. “Here. You’re gonna have to take the gang down with this.”

He hesitantly took it from her. “Why? What do you have in mind?”

She drew both pistols and pulled up the toggle on both, loading them, before placing them back in their holsters.

His eyes widened. “You can’t be serious.”

“Here’s what we’ll do: you stay here and take the long shots while I approach them from the side. Between the two of us, we should be able to bring ‘em all down, especially since they’ll be busy figurin’ out which way to shoot.”

“But you’re still gonna ride up to them, Maddie.” He shook his head. “I don’t like this idea.”

“Do we have much of a choice, Jack?”

He frowned deeply, worry rising in his breast. “I suppose not. But still…”

“I know. It’ll be risky, but we can take ‘em. I leave you to take the first shot, but just make sure to wait until I get about two-hundred yards away from them. After you shoot, I’ll shoot next, and we’ll go back and forth like that to confuse the hell outta these bastards. We’ll be able to gun them down before they can retaliate.”

Their gazes met; their faces mirrored the uneasiness they both felt.

“I still don’t like this idea, Maddie. Maybe we should wait until nightfall. At least then we’ll have a better chance at not getting’ shot, specifically you.”

She looked to the side, her gaze glossing over in thought. “I suppose that could work…”

“Or we could try to sneak up there and take ‘em out on both sides. I could approach from the right, you from the left, and we could do it that way.”

Maddie frowned and looked down at the saddle horn indecisively.

“So what are we gonna do?” Jack asked.

“Your ideas _could_ work, but…”

“But?”

“It wouldn’t make much sense for you to get real close. If you got shot down, then that’s it. You won’t be pardoned and you’ll die an unredeemed man.”

He tilted his head down slightly and gave her a facetious look. “Maddie, come on. Don’t be so melodramatic. I’ve gunned down people at point-blank-range, and I’m still alive. I can shoot. I’m good at this kind of thing. You know I am. So stop worrying about me and let’s get this thing done the best way we can.”

“I hear what you’re sayin’, but I think we should just stick to my plan,” she said, straightening in the saddle resolutely. “I’m tired of negotiating this. I want to get this done, and fast. The longer we stand here talking, the sooner they’ll spot us. We’ll lose our window of opportunity if we don’t act upon it.”

“None of this will matter if either one of us gets shot,” Jack argued. “Let’s not rush into this.”

Her eyebrows narrowed. “Who said anything about rushing?”

He nodded to her. “You’re rushing into this, and it’s not smart.”

“Jack, I’ve been a bounty hunter for a long time now; I know what I’m doin’, and I’m good at what I do. Until you start to make me realize you’re good at this too, I’ll decide whether or not to trust your plans and go with them.”

He gawked at her. “You’re joking! Maddie, we made a deal we’d do this my way. Don’t get upset if I suggest the safer way to take these guys down.”

“That we did, but in the end, _I’m_ the one who calls the shots, seein’ as I’m still your overseer. And I say we do this _my_ way.”

Jack clenched his jaw in frustration. “No, we’re not. We’re not goin’ anywhere until we’ve made a plan that won’t get us killed. I’m just as stubborn as you are, miss—don’t forget that.”

Maddie gathered the reins in her hands. “Let’s just get this done.” She looked him boldly in the eyes and added, “Make them shots count.” As she reined her black beauty to the left and urged her into a gallop across the flat desert land, she shouted back over her shoulder, “And good luck!”

“Good luck,” he called after her as he watched her ride away. He sighed dejectedly and shook his head, wishing there was another way. “And don’t get hurt.”

He swallowed his rising trepidation down as he looked back to Silent Stead four-hundred yards before him. _This is a bad idea_ , he thought as he inhaled deeply through his nose and brought the rifle up, pressed the butt end to his shoulder, and looked through the scope at the gang hideout. He counted eight men, including Harlan Forbes, in and around the small dilapidated house. He swung the rifle to the left, in the direction that Maddie rode off, and after a moment of looking about through the scope, he found her loping Gypsy toward the hide-out abreast of the rock wall, holding one pistol in her right hand, reins in the other. However, as she rode closer to the gang, she put the reins in her mouth and drew her other pistol. Jack took a deep breath and drew back on the bolt, loading the rifle. His heart began to pound as he looked for his first victim and kept the crosshairs on the man while he tried to slow his breathing. As he exhaled slowly out his mouth, he squeezed the trigger.

The rifle recoiled against his shoulder powerfully, making him jerk back in the saddle. At the sound of the loud gunshot, Sundance shrieked and reared up wildly. Jack reached for the saddle horn, but his hands fell inches short as he tumbled back over the palomino’s hindquarters. The wind was knocked out of him as he landed on the ground, the gun landing heavily onto his stomach, and he lay there prone as his horse galloped away. His mind was encumbered with a string of curses as he rolled onto his side and watched his horse flee from him. Struggling to breathe properly, he rose to his hands and knees, grabbed the Carcano rifle, and stumbled up to his feet.

He looked to Silent Stead and gave a shout of disdain as he saw the action was commencing without him. Maddie was following through with their plan, not realizing his hiccup on his part. She was outnumbered seven to one as she rode up to the gang’s hide-out, both pistols firing away and the reins in her teeth. In a matter of seconds, she had taken down three men. _She’s gonna be killed!_ he thought as he brought up the rifle and looked through the scope once more.

He gunned down another man, his heart thundering in his chest and his breathing labored all the while. He was about to reload and fire again when a booming shotgun blast erupted his concentration and stayed his index finger. He looked about through the scope and cursed as he saw Maddie tumble out of the saddle and fall on the ground. Gypsy bolted away from Silent Stead, leaving her fallen rider behind in her blind fear.

“NO!” Jack screamed, and sprinted forward with the rifle in his hands. “No, no, no, no, no, NO!” Every fifteen strides, he stopped abruptly, threw the rifle up to his shoulder, looked through the scope, and gunned down a gang member. He did this three more times, until at last he jumped over the railroad tracks and ran to Silent Stead. He dropped the rifle and drew his cattleman revolver as he ran up to the homestead. All around him, the gang members were lying in puddles of blood.

Jack gasped as the last remaining member, Harlan Forbes, advanced up to Maddie, who was lying deathly still face-down on the ground before the house, her hair enshrouding her shoulders and head in a dark-brown fan. Harlan stood above her body and pointed his sawed-off shotgun down at the back of her head.

“NO!” Jack roared and cocked his revolver.

Before either man could react to the other, Maddie inexplicably came to life and rolled over the next instant, simultaneously throwing up her pistols and pointing them up at Harlan’s chest. She fired two shots into the bounty target’s chest, killing him instantly and dropping him to the ground beside her. With slight difficulty, she rose to her feet, muttering and hissing curses under her breath. She stood overtop Harlan’s body with a look of contempt and disappointment, shaking her head and holding her left arm against her side. “Goddamn it,” she muttered, shaking her head once more as she holstered her pistols.

“Maddie!” Jack cried as he ran up to her. “I don’t understand. I saw you get shot down. How are you alive?”

She angrily blew a strand of hair out of her eyes and explained snappily, “When I saw this bastard had a sawed-off shotgun, I tried gettin’ out of his line of fire.”

“Hold on…You _faked getting shot?”_

She gave him an incredulous, pained look and nodded down to her injured arm. “The fucker nicked my arm when I was falling! Are you blind?”

Jack gasped as he finally noticed her arm. Blood had begun to trickle out of the numerous ragged holes that now adorned the left sleeve of her duster. Jack counted at least ten, starting at the shoulder and spreading down her bicep. “Jesus Christ, Maddie!” he exclaimed, taking a step closer and taking her arm gently in his hands.

“Leave me be, boy,” she hissed. “I’m fine.” She stepped away from him and glared down at the dead bounty.

“The hell you are! Look at you! We gotta get you to town or you’ll bleed out.”

“I said I’m fine!” she hollered, finally meeting gazes with him. “I’ve endured far worse. A buck-shot isn’t enough to kill me.”

“You’ll bleed out pretty soon if we don’t get you patched up.” He took a careful step toward her, one hand reaching for her lower arm, but she shied viciously away and, in her rising anger, stomped off to the right side of the empty homestead. “Where are you goin’?”

She refused to answer as she began to pace beside the dilapidated house, keeping her gaze to the ground and her injured arm tucked to her side. Jack stood before her, utterly confused.

“Goddamn this day,” she began in a seething murmur. Her duster and hair billowed angrily behind and about her as she turned and paced, turned and paced, her face scrunched up in a mixed countenance of anger and pain. “If that son of a bitch wouldn’t have had a damn shotgun… _Fuck!_ ” She glared over at the bounty’s dead body, pausing in her pacing as she did so and grimacing with pain as she tried to move her arm. “Now we gotta bring in one more goddamn bounty all because he had to come at me with a shotgun. Damn it, I’m such a fool! I should’ve wounded him the second I got in range! Now he’s dead and we’re without a third bounty!”

“Um…Maddie?”

“WHAT?!” she roared as she wheeled to face him.

“You’re, uh…bleeding.”

“I _know_ I am, goddamn it!”

He took a step closer. “Then let’s get to town. Rathskeller Fork is just up the road. We can get there in ‘bout five minutes and—”

“Shut up and leave me the fuck alone!”

Fed up with her, Jack strode up to her, grabbed her by the right shoulder, and said resolutely, “Maddie, either we get to town and you live, or we stay here and you die. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want the latter to happen. So let’s get the bounty on your horse and ride to town.”

 _“Get your fucking hands off me!”_ she bellowed and flinched away from his grip, wincing with pain as she did so. “Who are you to tell me what to do? You’re in no position to be bossin’ me around! I’m the one who’s in charge here! Speaking of you, where the _HELL_ were you when I was ridin’ up here shootin’ the gang down? What the fuck happened? Did you pussy out and not shoot or what? I _really_ could’ve used some help back there!”

Jack’s jaw dropped in outrage. “First of all, Madeline, do NOT go blamin’ me for your injury! I did what I fuckin’ could! The second I fired, Sundance threw me off! He’s not used to me shootin’ off his back. You _know_ that! And for your information, I shot down the last three of Forbes’ men, and I was just about to shoot him down before he got to you.” He threw up his hands and gave an exasperated growl. “I _knew_ this plan wasn’t gonna work! I _told_ you we should’ve come up with a better plan, but did you fuckin’ listen to me? NO! You just had to ride off without even a second consideration! Do you want to be killed, Maddie? Do you wanna be shot down in a blaze of glory? Christ, the way you act sometimes, like what just happened now, the way you’re so _goddamn reckless_ , makes me think you do.” He took her by the crook of her right arm and started escorting her away from the house towards Gypsy, who calmly stood ten yards away with her ears pricked and watching them. “From now on, we’re NOT ridin’ blindly towards our bounties. From now on—and I don’t give a _shit_ ‘bout what you have to say—we’re doing this MY WAY.” As they neared Gypsy, he commanded, “Now come on. Get on your horse. Let’s get the hell outta here and get you patched up.”

“But what about the bounty?” she argued, swaying beside her horse. “We can’t just leave here empty-handed.”

With a roll of his eyes and an angry sigh, Jack stormed off toward Harlan’s body. He stooped down, grabbed the dead man by a leg and an arm, and threw the corpse over his shoulder as he stood up. He fetched her Carcano rifle and slung it over his shoulder before returning to Gypsy, tossing the body over the horse’s hindquarters, and tying it down securely to the saddle.

“There,” he said through gritted teeth as he looked over at Maddie. “Ya happy?”

She nodded weakly and grabbed the cantle with her right hand. She attempted to raise her left hand to grip the saddle horn, but she cried out in agony and instead let her arm drop back down to her side. She rested her forehead against the saddle. “Jack…”

“Here, let me help you,” he replied softly and placed his hands around her waist. She slipped her left boot into the stirrup and, as she feebly pulled herself up with her right hand, Jack hoisted her up. She sat down heavily in the seat and gathered the reins with her good hand.

“You all right?” he asked, looking her over with concern.

“I’m well enough to ride.” She looked tiredly around, her eyes glazed over in excruciation. “Where’s Sundance?”

Jack whistled for his mount, and not long afterwards, his palomino came running. He mounted up quickly; the two bounty hunters rode away from Silent Stead up the road towards Rathskeller Fork.

 

*             *             *

 

The rest of the day was spent in a rented room, with a doctor hovering over Maddie and tentatively working on her arm and Jack sitting at the edge of the bed watching and becoming agonizingly worried over her condition. They had had to take off her duster and pull her arm out of the bloody sleeve, which made Jack blush incredibly, but to overcome his embarrassment, he helped hold her down while the doctor extracted every single pellet from her arm. The amount of time it had taken, coupled with the immeasurable pain she was forced to endure and the blood she’d shed, was staggering. Her composure was also impressive: the fact that she held back from screaming and instead let slip moans and yelps of excruciation astounded both Jack and the doctor. When at last she was stitched, wrapped up, and dressed, the doctor looked her over with a bewildered shake of his head and said, “My God, there’s one tough gal.”

“You don’t know the half of it, mister,” Jack chimed in with a light-hearted chuckle. He paid the man generously, and as the doctor left, he dragged a chair over to Maddie and sat down beside her.

Her eyelids fluttered as she turned her head slightly and looked at him. “What?”

He gave her a stern look. “You know damn well what, Maddie. I’m tired of you puttin’ yourself out on a limb and tryin’ to impress me. I don’t understand why you’ve gotta do that. You earned my respect a _long_ time ago, so I don’t see why you’re still doin’ this.”

She smiled weakly. “Old habits die hard, princess.”

He sighed through his nose and looked off to the side, his face scrunching up into its usual scowl. “So what happens now?”

She blinked. “What do you mean?”

“Well, you’re hurt, for one, and I don’t think you’re in any shape to be bounty hunting. And two, since you killed Forbes, what will happen to me? Do we add another man to our list like you said back at Silent Stead, or do I just get thrown in jail for not bringin’ in a live bounty?”

Maddie half-shrugged, being cautious not to move her left shoulder. “Don’t know. We’ll have to call Hershel and ask him what to do. I’ll do that in the morning.”

“I can do that now,” he offered. “There’s no sense in waitin’ ‘til tomorrow to tell him.”

“Whatever.”

Jack stood up out of the chair. “Good. Get some rest. I’ll be back soon.” He opened the door to leave, but he paused at the sound of her voice.

“And Jack?”

He looked back over his shoulder at her.

She smirked apologetically. “Thanks for straightenin’ me out back there.”

He grinned back at her and tipped his hat. “Any time. I have a feeling I’m gonna be doin’ that more often than I’ll like.” With that, he turned and left the room.


	14. Homecoming

**Chapter Track** : “Nothing I’ve Ever Known” – Bryan Adams, _Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron_ soundtrack

 

 

                “How’s your arm holdin’ up?”

                Maddie rolled her eyes and glared at him from atop her horse. “Do you _really_ have to ask me that every fuckin’ day? Christ, Jack, I told you I’m fine _at least_ a thousand times these past two weeks. Would you give it a rest already?”

                Jack looked her over with concern and irritation; it hadn’t been easy for them the past fourteen days, and it was taxing their patience and stamina. “You know why I’ve been askin’ this. Stop gettin’ angry at me.” He flicked his gaze over her once more before returning his attention to the road before them. They rode abreast each other at a brisk walk past Warthington Ranch heading northeast. The crisp morning air of Cholla Springs nipped at his face, and he tucked his chin down into his bandana; he shivered involuntarily in the saddle. The winter wasn’t as bad as he expected it to be; still, he wished he were somewhere warm and cozy.

                Ever since he had gotten off the phone with Hershel, it had been all about keeping Maddie safe and on her way to recovery, as well as bagging the replacement for the bounty they’d lost. He kept Maddie at Rathskeller Fork for two days; however, after what she considered “enough of a waste of time”, they left the settlement. He agreed to follow her, but for a price: she’d stick to taking the long shots while he’d go in and bag the bounty. She of course resisted every mile of the way towards their next bounty at Mercer Station, insisting that she was well enough to handle herself, but his stubbornness proved the wiser and he won the argument. Their new tactic worked brilliantly. Sure, they had to change their strategy slightly with each man, but in the end, Maddie stayed far away safe and alive and Jack captured their man swiftly. Their days of bounty hunting were going by quickly as they crossed off Roscoe Duffy, Quinn Mallory, Irvin Pennick, and Isiah Greeley off their list, as well as their replacement, some kid they quickly forgot about and couldn’t have cared less for. Jack couldn’t have been happier to have made such great progress in so little time, and to finally be heading back to friends and mirth made him almost giddy.

                “I sure as hell hope Bonnie and the others won’t be all over my back like you have been these past couple weeks,” Maddie grumbled sourly, pulling her hat further down and tucking her chin into her red scarf. The wind suddenly picked up and stung at her face with surprising bitterness. “Sittin’ beside the fireplace in Bonnie’s house would be nice right about now. And some hot tea. And a hot bath, and a warm fleece blanket, and a good book, and—”

                “Are you _still_ bitchin’?” Jack asked as he glanced over at her. He hid his amused smirk underneath his red striped bandana, but his voice betrayed him.

                Maddie shot him a scowl, but she too couldn’t hide her amusement. Her brown eyes lit up with affection as she met gazes with him. “Yes, I am. So long as you’re still all over me about my arm and my “condition”, I’ll keep on bitchin’, just to spite you.”

                He guffawed and looked back at the road with a smile. “I wouldn’t hope for anything else.” Despite himself, he too wished to be in the comfort of Bonnie’s home. He had missed her, as well as Drew and the ranch hands. He missed the regularity of chores, the smell of livestock and bales of hay, the sound of laughter and small talk, and being in the presence of someone other than Maddie.

                “Hello? Marston, I don’t hear any half-assed insults comin’ outta that loud mouth of yours.”

                Jack blinked and looked over at his companion, bewildered. “Hmm? You say somethin’?”

                “I said, are you daydreamin’ or what? You look like you were lost to the world there for a minute.”

                “Yeah, just…thinkin’.”

                “About…?”

                He sighed in defeat. She had grown on him over the past several months. “About what’s waitin’ for us back at the ranch. Maddie, I…I don’t think I’m quite ready for such a homecoming. Are you?”

                She blinked. “Didn’t you hear what I just said, about all the comforts of home? I _miss_ that! Not that I don’t mind bein’ out on the road with you, but…a woman’s gotta spoil herself sometimes.”

                The bounty hunters shared a brief laugh.

                “Why are you hesitant to return to Bonnie’s?” she inquired with a studious look. “What are you afraid of when we get there?”

                He frowned and looked down at the saddle horn. “I’m not afraid of anything, just…kinda nervous, I suppose.”

                She guffawed. “You? Nervous? About what?”

                He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, still abashed to tell her.

                She reined Gypsy closer to Sundance so she could playfully nudge him in the arm with her elbow. “Come on. What’s wrong with my little princess?”

                He threw her a warning glare. “Enough with that.”

                She gave him a pouting look and goaded, “Ah, come on. What’s gotten Jack all depressed?”

                “I’m not depressed, I’m just nervous that I’ve let Bonnie down.”

                Maddie studied him for the longest time, too shocked to give him an answer at first. “Jack, that’ll be the last thing Bonnie will think about you. Don’t you see? I bet you any kind of money we’ll return heroes in her eyes. You’re doin’ something great, boy, so don’t go puttin’ yourself down.”

                “Yeah, but I promised her I’d come back a changed man.” His gaze was glued to the saddle horn. “I’m just afraid I’ve let her down.”

                Maddie rolled her eyes and shook her head, chuckling. “How many times do I gotta tell you, princess? You’re over-thinkin’ things when they should just stay simple. That’s all there is to it. You’re makin’ life too complicated when it shouldn’t be. Just relax and enjoy the ride home. We’ll be heralded like the kings and queens of old, you and I.”

                “I guess.”

                “Besides, she’ll adore us for coming home on Christmas eve. Trust me on this.”

                “Oh, I’m sure she will. I’ll be surprised if she doesn’t smother us when we ride onto her property.”

                “Oh, I don’t doubt that. Hell, it’ll be one big extravaganza when we get back. Prepare to be bombarded with questions and hugs and, dare I say it, kisses. She treats you like you’re her son or something, I swear.”

                Jack allowed a humbled, if not embarrassed, laugh escape him and an amused grin spread across his lips. “I suppose you’re right. She practically took me in as her own, didn’t she?”

                “Indeed. She has a habit of keeping strays around her ranch.”     

                It was around mid-day when they found themselves riding onto familiar lands. Jack and Maddie weren’t surprised to find that as they rode across the railroad tracks and onto the MacFarlane ranch, every single ranch hand stopped in the middle of their chores to greet them exuberantly. The light in each mans’ eyes gave the bounty hunters sparks of pride within their hearts, and they found themselves smiling brightly as they walked their horses up to the large ranch house. By the time they stopped their horses and dismounted before the fence, they were being embraced and welcomed by the ranch hands; a swarm of men and women began to accumulate around Maddie and Jack and their tired mounts. Everywhere he turned and looked, a man or woman was hugging him or reaching to shake his hand and welcome him back. Amidst the warm salutations and congratulations, Jack looked over at his companion and saw that she too was fairing about the same as he was, though she appeared to be taking it better than him.

                It didn’t take long for a certain blonde-haired woman to ome running up to the crowd, pushing her way through, before enrapturing Jack in the tightest hug he’d ever received from his self-proclaimed aunt. The wind was nearly squeezed out of him as she wrapped her arms around his torso and pulled him towards her.

                “It’s good to see you, too, Bonnie,” he half-wheezed, half-chuckled as he returned the embrace.

“Oh, God, Jack! I was so worried for you and Maddie! I kept thinkin’ the worst was gonna happen to you two! I’m SO glad you’re finally home safe!”

                “Did you think we’d forget you on Christmas Eve?” Maddie interjected as she came to stand beside them. She laughed as her friend instantly threw her arms around her. The women embraced each other tightly, burying each other’s faces in the other’s hair and shoulder. Bonnie was weeping silently by this point; Jack swore he saw Maddie’s eyes well with tears, but she quickly blinked them away as she pressed her face deeper into Bonnie’s braided hair and held her closer.

                Jack watched the tender moment unfold before him, astounded by the bond these two women shared. It was as if mother and daughter were being reunited, for a moment, he felt a pang of jealousy and longing, yearning to be reunited with his own mother, if not his father. However, as quickly as the feeling came, he brushed it away and concentrated on breathing when Bonnie involuntarily released Maddie only to envelop herself around him. This time, he held her tighter. This time, he felt as if he didn’t have any parents to miss, and to come home to such a profound feeling was more than what he could’ve ever hoped for.

                “I am SO happy to see you two!” Bonnie said as she released Jack and took a step back to look him and Maddie over with a maternal look. “Oh, you both look exhausted and dirtier than a dustbowl!” She beckoned a couple ranch hands over and said to them, “You go take good care of their horses.” She looked back to her friends and ushered them into the house. “Now you two go get cleaned up. Once you’re all tidied up and rested, we’ll talk. But for now, go take a bath! You stink worse than the backside of a pig!”

                “Oh, I don’t know about that, Miss MacFarlane,” Maddie retorted with a chuckle. She shoved Jack’s shoulder with hers as she walked past him and nodded back at him. “I can bet you any kind of money that I smell like a bouquet of roses compared to this slimy cowpoke.”

“You’re so full of it, Maddie!” he shot back as he fell into step behind her. “You’re just as bad as I am, if not worse.”

                “Oh, enough you two!” Bonnie chuckled as she shooed them forward. “You can debate who smells worse after you both go freshen up.” She shook her head and put her hands on her hips. “Good Lord above, I don’t think I’ve ever heard more bickering from two people, except for an old married couple, of course.”

                To her pleasure, her last comment shut the two bounty hunters up. She guffawed loudly and herded them through the front door. However, her friends paused in the threshold as they took in the Christmas decorations in the house. Jack and Maddie swiveled their heads around the living room, gaping at the wreaths and red ribbons that adorned the staircase, the fireplace, and around the windowsills. Maddie gasped and walked further into the house, heading straight for the large evergreen tree that sat adjacent to the fireplace. She stood before it and stared in awe at the beauty and massiveness of the tree. Strings of cranberries and popcorn strung together adorned its magnificent branches and pines, as well as red and green ribbons. A gathering of presents sat eagerly beneath the green behemoth, wrapped in parchment and decorated with ribbons.

                “It’s beautiful, Bonnie,” she said as she turned and faced her and Jack.

                Bonnie inclined her head in appreciation. “Thanks, darlin’. I just wish you would’ve been here to help me decorate it. I know how much you enjoy that.”

                “There’s always next year,” Maddie offered with a smile as she walked past them and ascended the stairs. Over her shoulder, she said, “Come on, Jack. You’d better wash up that skuzzy hide of yours.”

                “Watch what you’re sayin’, little lady,” he chided as he followed her. “Otherwise I might threaten not to ever bathe again.”

                “Oh, please tell me you’re joking.” She paused half-way up the stairs to look back at him with a worrisome expression.

                “Keep up that sass-mouth of yours and I just might,” he chuckled and ushered her with a nod to continue.

                She glared at him with fake distaste, letting a playful grin escape her threatening gaze before turning around and climbing the stairs. “Oh, two can play at that game, Marston. I’ve gone for _weeks_ out on the desert without a b—”

                “You won’t be goin’ on with that nasty habit any longer, miss,” Bonnie hollered from the base of the stairs. “No one’s skipping out on baths tonight, so I’d suggest you two get a move-on and clean up before dinner’s gone!”

                “Yes, Miss MacFarlane,” the bounty hunters chorused, though they gave each other daring glares before retiring to their own separate rooms to do as their boss ordered.

 

*             *             *

 

                “So how’s ya hoss holdin’ up?” the black man questioned. Just like old times, Jack and Eli were back at it again in the barn later that night cleaning stalls and tack. A wheelbarrow stood between the men in the middle of the barn, receiving manure and sullied chunks of straw from them.

                “Who, Sundance? Yeah, he’s doin’ fine. A bit spooky at times, but he’s nothin’ I can’t handle.”

                “And ya new job? That treain’ ya good?”

                “Yup. I’m makin’ an honest living nowadays. Have to say it’s goin’ good for me so far. Can’t say I’m horrible at it.”

                Eli nodded as he bent down and stabbed at a large portion of dirty straw. “You lookin’ good, son, bettuh than I done seen ya befow when you was here on tha ranch. Ya look a lot happier, mo confident in yaself. Ya sure changed a lot since I seen ya last.”

                Jack chuckled as he twisted back around in place and threw the straw into the wheelbarrow. “Thanks, mister. It sure feels good to be back here.”

                “I gots ta tell ya, Bonnie sho is proud of ya, boy,” the black man continued with a bright smile. He finished scooping out the last of the dirty straw before he set his pitchfork against the wall and went over to the corner of the barn and fetched a bale of fresh straw. Grunting, he picked it up with his gloved hands and carried it over to the stall. “I can’t tell ya how much she been talkin’ ‘bout you ‘n’ Miss Maddie. She sure was a-worryin’ ‘bout you two. Talked ‘bout ya night ‘n’ day.”

                “Really?” Jack asked as he finished up with one stall and grabbed half of the fresh bale from Eli. As he spread it around, he added, “I thought I was gonna let her down.”

                “ _‘Let her down’?_ ” Eli repeated, his eyebrows raising and his large lips cracking into an amused smile. He laughed and slapped his thigh.

                “What’s so funny?”

                “Boy, ya doin’ the exact opposite of that!” Calming from his fit of giggles, he walked up to Jack and planted a large, warm hand on the young man’s shoulder and smiled at him. The black man’s eyes sparkled as he said, “Jack, ya been makin’ us _all_ proud. You’s on tha right track now, boy. Don’t ya be slippin’ up any time now, ya hear?”

                Jack was too shocked to answer, so he gave him a grateful grin instead.

                Eli patted his shoulder and walked to the next stall and began pitching the soiled straw. “So I saw Maddie earlier this evenin’ workin’ wit that perdy lil’ filly she broke a few months back. Tawked ta her fo a bit.”

                Jack took up his pitchfork and resumed working as well. “Oh, yeah?” 

                “She told me she likes workin’ wit ya, ‘n’ that she thinks ya oughtta be workin’ together mo often. She said you ‘n’ her make a good team.”

                Jack smiled to himself as he went over to the stack of bales and grabbed another one; he tossed it to the ground spread the straw around the stall after the twine broke. he’d just finished with. _I wonder what she’s up to right now_ , he wondered, and he was almost tempted on walking over to the horse corral to see if she was still spending time with Féileacán.

                “You’s grinnin’ wider than a bobcat, boy.”

                Jack looked over at him; he blushed when he saw the Negro watching him intently with a knowing smirk.

                “Whatchu thinkin’ ‘bout?”

                “Nothing,” Jack lied and hastily returned working. He concentrated on cleaning out the last remaining stall on his side of the barn, but he could feel the older man watching his every move. _I knew he was gonna start talking about her, about us_. He stabbed at the straw and threw it over his shoulder.

                “Ya better slow down, boy. Don’t be in too much of a hurry ta keep yaself busy, now.”

                “What are you talkin’ about, Eli?”

                “You know wut I’m tawkin’ ‘bout. Don’t ya be playin’ tha fool wit me.”

                “You’re speakin’ nonsense, old man.”

                “Then how’s ‘bout ya gimme that ten dolluhs ya owe me? My wallet’s kinda hurtin’, and a bet is a bet, Mistuh Mawsten.” Eli held out a hand to Jack.

                “You ain’t gettin’ my money, Eli. Besides, you haven’t won the bet, so I don’t know why you’re so sore to get money from me.”

                “Oh, but I think I _have_ won, boy,” Eli said as he walked up to him. He looked him in the eyes and softly declared, “I think ya just don’t wanna own up ta tha truth, Jack.”

                Jack paused in his pitching to straighten up and give the man a nasty scowl. “What truth? We’re business partners, mister. That’s it.”

                “I give it a couple mo’ months,” the black man challenged with an acquisitive smile. “ _Then_ we’ll see wutcha think, boy! Two months tops, Mistuh Mawsten, ‘n’ then Imma be gettin’ that ten bucks ya owe me fair ‘n’ square!”

                Jack scoffed and shook his head. “We’ll see, old man. I wouldn’t get your hopes up too high, ‘cause you’ll just be all the more disappointed when _you_ give _me_ that ten dollars next time we meet.”

                The men stared each other down for several long seconds.

                “Then ta tha victuh, tha spoils,” Eli finalized with a broad smile.

 

*             *             *

 

                Jack had never seen the living room so packed; every single ranch hand, dressed festively for the occasion, filled the ranch house the next night. The lingering scent of the wonderful Christmas supper continued to assail his nostrils and make him yearn for more, despite how full and happy he was. The buzz he felt from the three glasses of the finest scotch he’d ever tasted was just starting to affect him. He sipped from the glass he held in his right hand, feeling uncharacteristically sophisticated in the dark-gray suit he’d been forced to wear by Bonnie and Drew. All around him, men and women chatted merrily.

                He looked around the room from his vantage point of the opposite corner of the room, across from the tree, and was surprised to find Nathaniel and Bonnie standing close together, dressed rather nicely in formal attire like the ranch hands around them and staring into each other’s eyes. He felt his jaw drop in shock and adoration when Nathaniel kissed his wife affectionately and murmured sweet words to her. Bonnie stood transfixed before him, drinking in every syllable, every word, her eyes overflowing with love for him. Jack grinned, happy to finally see some evidence of a happy marriage. He laughed when he spotted the mistletoe hanging above their heads, and, despite his distaste in the man, he had to inwardly commend Nathaniel for his smooth move.

                His attention was snatched when he heard the sound of many voices breaking out in song. Over in the corner, standing around the Christmas tree, a group of people had formed and were singing carols and other holiday tunes a cappella. He was surprised to find Maddie standing among them. He was more surprised to see her wearing a beautiful red dress with her hair curled and pulled half-way back. The voice she possessed was breathtaking, for above all the other men and women who sang around her, her voice carried and soared with Irish vibrato. The dress fit her so well, and she seemed to glow with mirth in the presence of friends she considered family. His gaze lingered on her for quite some time; he couldn’t help but feel the warm waterfall of affection splash around his heart and consume his chest like an overflowing well. _She sure looks pretty tonight, prettier than I’ve ever seen her._ He shook his head in delighted wonder. _I never thought I’d see the day she’d trade her bounty hunting clothes for a fancy dress._

                His heart iced over when Maddie suddenly looked up and met gazes with him. He felt his face burn red-hot, and before he was about to look away, the look in her eyes kept him entranced for a moment. A wondrous flame of passion, of camaraderie, of festive warmth lit up her brown eyes in a way he’d never seen before. She paused in the middle of singing _Silent Night_ to stare back at him, and she gave him the faintest smile. A subtle trace of coquettishness entered her expression, making Jack blink and blush even deeper, before she looked away and continued singing, leaving him to stare at her in stupefied wonder.

                “You’re awfully quiet and alone over here in the corner of the room,” Bonnie pointed out as she came out of nowhere and stood beside him.

                Jack blinked and looked away from Maddie to his maternal figure and friend. “Y-yeah, I, uh…I guess so.” He smiled apologetically. “Sorry ‘bout that.”

                She wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulder. “It’s all right, Jack. I understand if this is all a little…overwhelming for you.”

                He snorted through his nose and frowned slightly as he looked down at the suit he sported.

                “But I hope you’re enjoyin’ this Christmas with me and my family,” she continued cheerily. “We all enjoy havin’ you and Maddie here with us. You’re part of the family, ya know.”

                He grinned at her. “I know, thank you.” He looked around the room and shook his head, amazed by the contagious happiness that enveloped the room, and the house. “It sure is somethin’.”

                “Yeah. It’s always somethin’ to watch everyone perk up when Christmas rolls around. I can’t tell ya how happy I am to see everyone so happy. It’s just so fulfilling.” She looked around the room along with him and beamed brightly at the joy around them. She withdrew her arm from his shoulders and said, “By the way, Jack, Merry Christmas.” From behind her back, she bequeathed a present to him.

                Jack blinked and received it numbly from her. “You shouldn’t have, Bonnie.” The gift felt relatively heavy.

                “Oh, but it’s Christmas, Jack,” she countered playfully. She nodded down to the box in his hands. “Open it.”

                He slowly did as he was told. He nearly dropped the box upon seeing his father’s high-powered pistol and holster given back to him. “Thank you, Bonnie,” he said, nearly choking on the lump in his throat.

                She embraced him briefly. “You’re becomin’ an honest man, Jack, so I thought I’d give you somethin’ personal back to you.”

                He could only stare at her with a profound renewal of affection and gratitude. “Thank you.” He strapped on his gun belt, feeling more complete and like himself again.

                “And you’ll be happy to know you don’t have to sleep in that god-awful jail cell anymore. You don’t belong in that crypt of a place; your place is in this house, in a warm bed, with all the comforts of home.”

                He was speechless for a long while. “Damn, Bonnie…”

                “What? Too much for ya?”

                He laughed and nodded exuberantly.

                “Sorry, Jack. I’m just glad you’re back and that you’re ridin’ down the right road in life.”

                The next words to come out of his mouth were difficult to speak, but he did his best to word his reply despite the almost rancid taste in his mouth. “As much as I hate to withdraw from your offer, I think I’ll just stay in Pa’s old shed. I don’t think I’m ready to move into your house. Besides, you don’t have the room, last time I checked. You’ve just got your’s and Nathaniel’s room, your pa’s, Maddie’s room, and one for storage. Don’t you worry about movin’ me in: I’ll be happy to stay out there with the rest of the ranch hands.”

                Much to his surprise, she didn’t seem offended. She merely grinned and nodded. “Alright, Jack. Whatever you wish.”

                “Again, thank you. You’re one hell of a gift-giver.”

                A pause ensued between them as they looked from each other to the livelihood around them.

                “So, how have things been on the road with Maddie? She hasn’t been too reckless, I hope.”

                A chuckle escaped him. “It’s been… _interesting_ , to say the least.”

                Bonnie’s eyes widened with concern. “Oh, Lord, she’s been doin’ all sorts of crazy things, hasn’t she?”

                He locked gazes with her and said sincerely, “Well, you’re not entirely right, but you’re not entirely wrong, either.” He paused to sip at his scotch. “But I will say this: she’s fearless in a way I’ll never know or understand. Hell, she’s _so_ fearless that she’s just plain _stupid_ sometimes, Bonnie. I don’t mean to worry you, but she ‘bout died several times out there. You weren’t kiddin’ when you said to keep an eye on her.”

                Bonnie shook her head and sighed through her nose. She and Jack looked over at Maddie, who was still enjoying herself with her fellow choir singing _Away In A Manger_. “She’s too head-strong, Jack,” she commented softly, studying her friend all the while with a countenance that sported several strong emotions all at once. “I worry for her safety whenever she rides out on a bounty hunt; it scares me to death knowin’ she’s out there riskin’ her life to bring in outlaws, outlaws who could hurt her…or worse.”

                Jack struggled to find the courage to summon up his next words up from his throat and out his mouth. Taking a sip of his scotch for bravery, he said, “Bonnie, the first one we went after, she…” He shook his head, overcome with the horrifying images that were forever engraved in his memory that day. He looked his friend in the eyes and said in a trembling whisper, “Bonnie, she slaughtered all of ‘em, the guy’s whole gang, practically in their sleep! I’ve never seen such violence, and that’s comin’ from me. I’ve seen some bad things in my life, but never have I seen what Maddie did to these men. It was like a hunting trip for her, hell, even a goddamned war zone. I don’t know if you know, but I have a feeling that her so-called “methods” for bounty hunting are more or less along the lines of slaughter. I have a hunch that the law around Blackwater and Armadillo, I don’t think they know what she does. Have you ever seen her go after a bounty? Has she ever told you about this kind of thing before?”

                Bonnie stared at him in open-mouthed shock. “I…Jesus Christ, I never…I never knew. _She did that?_ I knew she never much liked men and all, but _she did that deliberately?”_

                He nodded gravely and brought his glass to his lips once more. The scotch trickled down his throat smoothly.

_“And right in front of you?”_

                “Yes. I saw it all.”

                “God…”

                “Yeah. I know.” He let the words sink in before adding, “But she’s changed. She doesn’t go massacring men anymore like that, even if they _are_ criminals.”

                “ _Oh, thank God!”_ Bonnie exclaimed and gave him a warm smile, her expression melting from complete terror to a wave of gratitude and relief. “How did you do it?”

                “I told her what she was doin’ was wrong, and then I laid down the law for her. And eventually, we were doin’ what we have been doin’ these past couple weeks: she takes the long shots with her sniper rifle, and I ride in there and get the bounty. So far it’s been workin’ well for us.”

                “And she listened to you?” she asked incredulously, her eyebrows raising. “She didn’t once fight you over this?”

                “Oh, trust me, she did. Every single second of it, she fought for control. But I wasn’t gonna have it. So we compromised. That, and I think she’s realized what’s she’d been doin’ is wrong. Now, she’s doin’ her job in a more civilized way.”

                “That’s good to hear. And what about you?”

                Jack smirked and looked down at his glass. He stirred the drink around, watching the golden liquid swirl in a circular motion. “I don’t know whether I should be proud or ashamed to say I’m good at killin’ men. It’s funny, really, but it’s sort of like I’m suited for this job. I mean, I like bein’ out there in the wild, ridin’ after bounties and bringin’ ‘em in.” He glanced up at her. “So, what about you? How’s the ranch been doin’?”

                She sighed. Her disposition drooped with weariness. “Oh, it’s the same as it’s always been. It’s had its ups and downs. You know how it is; it’s a never-ending struggle. Can’t say I haven’t been lonely without you and that crazy woman of yours here to keep me company.”

                Jack blushed and cleared his throat.

                Not realizing her slip of words, Bonnie continued, “And Nathaniel’s been stayin’ here ever since you two left. He’s helped me out and kept me company, much to Maddie’s surprise.” She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “I swear, that woman will _not_ listen to me when it comes to tryin’ to change her mind about my husband.”

                Jack laughed and nodded. “I know, I know. She just doesn’t seem to care about openin’ her eyes and trustin’ him. Hell, it’s taken _this long_ to get her to almost trust me. She’s a wagon with breakin’ wheels, Miss MacFarlane. You just gotta keep patchin’ her up.”

                “She’s a fixer-upper, you mean,” Bonnie corrected, chuckling.

                “Yeah, I suppose you could say that.”

                They briefly shared a laugh and conversed for several minutes longer, discussing small-talk topics and otherwise enjoying each other’s company. It wasn’t long, however, when Bonnie excused herself to rejoin her husband’s side, as well as interact with other ranch hands. Once again, Jack was left alone to himself and his thoughts. He watched Bonnie for a brief time, watching the affectionate way she touched her husband’s lower back as she slid her arm around his waist. He grew jealous of the bond they shared, but the instant the strong emotion flared, he denied it its existence and smote it. He instead concentrated on other things, like once more recognizing men he’d worked with; occasionally, they’d float by and stop to chat, making small talk and catching up with him before they ventured to other people. All the while he stood there in the corner, sipping at his drink and feeling all the more uncomfortable in the suit. He wanted nothing more than to don his regular clothes, go saddle up Sundance, and get the hell out of there for at least a couple hours. He was almost tempted on acting out that impulsive thought when a certain beautiful woman in a stunning red dress strolled up to him and held his attention mercilessly. He tensed in her presence, feeling his heart hammer away at his chest.

                “Evenin’, Jack,” she said. She looked him over with an impressed countenance. “You certainly clean up well.”

                “Yeah, but I sure as hell don’t like it,” he replied. He busied himself by clawing at the tie around his neck. “So, uh…what’s this all about?”

                Maddie furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”

                He motioned to her with a wave of his hand. “This. You’re wearin’ a dress. I never thought I’d see the day…” He trailed off, not knowing what else to say as he tried to act normal around her.

                She blushed. “Yeah, well…It’s Christmas, so why the hell not?” She ran her fingers through her curled tresses and smoothed out the front of her dress. “It’s actually not all that bad. This is Bonnie’s present to me.” She frowned. “Still, I’d much rather be wearin’ my shirt and trousers. I feel so…”

                “So goddamn out of place?”

                Their eyes met in a brief, blissful moment. Maddie grinned and replied, “That’s exactly what I was thinkin’.”

                “Trust me, I can’t wait to change outta this… _thing_ ,” he said and gestured to himself with disgust. He fiddled with his tie and the collar of his shirt, feeling claustrophobic and unable to breathe.

                “Oh, stop it, you look fine,” she chastised as she grabbed his hand and pulled it away from him. “You’re fussin’ worse than a sinner in church, Jack. Just relax. This night will end soon.”

                “God, I hope so,” he growled and sipped at his scotch. He frowned as he realized he’d downed the rest of it in two gulps.

                Maddie noticed this and feigned outrage. She smacked his arm. “Hey! I was just about to finish that for you!”

                “Well, if you wanted it so bad, then why don’t you go get yourself a glass? Hell, why not fill mine up while you’re at it?”

                They shared a brief laugh, and all at once, they fell silent and found themselves staring at each other. Jack felt the alcohol kicking in at last, and with this slight inebriation came confidence. Motioning to her, he said, “Hey, if it’s any consolation, you…you just…look _incredible_ , Maddie.”

                Her mouth dropped open. “Th-thank you.” The makeup she wore couldn’t conceal the deep shade of crimson that enshrouded her face. “So do you.”

                Jack too felt his face flush. He cleared his throat. “So, uh…. you want some of that scotch, or what?”

                She laughed and answered sweetly, “Scotch is fine, thank you.” She watched him as he left the room to fetch the drinks. When he returned, he was surprised to find that she held a gift out to him. He came to stand before her, blinking and holding their drinks in his hands.

                “What’s this?”

                “It’s a Christmas present, stupid,” she giggled. “Here, let me exchange it for one of those glasses.”

                He laughed as their trade commenced. Afterwards, he stood staring down at the box he held in his hands.

                “Well? Open it.”

                He frowned and felt a stab of guilt. “But…I didn’t get you a present.” In truth, he hadn’t even thought of the prospect of getting her anything. Christmas, to him, wasn’t something he cared for anymore, much less any other holiday. Now, he rebuked his lack of gift-giving spirit and felt terrible for not considering buying his best friend something.

                Maddie waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, Jack, you don’t need to get me anything.”

                “Yeah, but still…I feel bad.”

                She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Don’t, Jack. I’m not expectin’ to get a gift from you, even if it’s out of guilt. Don’t worry about it, alright?” She nodded down to the present. “Now shut up and open it already.”

                Jack rolled his eyes. “Fine.”

                Though the box was relatively small, what it held inside was worth more than he could’ve imagined. It held two leather-bound books and a fancy writing pen. He looked around briefly to find a place to sit, and as he sat down on the couch nearby, Maddie sat down beside him, watching him as he inspected his gifts. Feeling giddy, he took the two books out of the box and stared at them in his hands, feeling the soft leather caress the calluses on his fingertips and palms. He recognized the book he held in his right hand as hers: the red leather-bound cover and flowing gold lettering that spelled out _Hamlet_ by William Shakespeare made him fondly recall the day he first saw her reading it and smoking. To his surprise and confusion, the other book he held in his left didn’t have a title, much less a story hidden within when he opened it and thumbed through the pages. Blinking, he looked over at Maddie and was about to voice his questions when she spoke.

                “For your reading pleasure, I gave you my copy of _Hamlet_ to get you started on Shakespeare. And to help get you started writing, I bought you an empty journal.”

A bubbling anticipation crept its way into his body, starting at his hand and flowing up his arm to consume the rest of him. He couldn’t wait to start writing. He looked up at her with slack-jawed disbelief. “Maddie, I…I don’t know what to say. Thank you! How did you know?”

                Her eyebrows raised. “How did I know these gifts were perfect?”

                He nodded and waited impatiently for her reply.

                She shrugged. “Well, I remember you sayin’ you like to read, and that you wanted to be a writer. So here ya go. Enjoy.”

                “Oh, I certainly will. Thanks.”

                “It’s nothin’, really.”

                Before he could stop himself, he took her hand in his and looked into her eyes. “No, really. I mean it. Thank you.”

                The most adoring smile burst across her lips. “You’re most welcome, Jack.”


	15. The Ties That Bind

**Chapter Track** : “No Way Out (Insert Song)” – Phil Collins, _Brother Bear_ soundtrack

 

Dust billowed and swirled from underneath the bi-colored hooves of the tobiano filly as she loped around the pen. The evening sun cast an orange glow around the horse and her rider as they circled for the tenth time. All was quiet on the ranch; even the many horses outside the round pen were silent as they ambled about the corral.

Jack stood outside the pen, resting one boot on the bottom of the fence and inattentively watching the speechless conversation between horse and rider. He’d been having trouble focusing: his thoughts kept returning to Christmas night three days ago when he saw her in that dazzling red dress. “So…,” he began, trying in vain to keep his focus on the present and start up a decent conversation.

“So,” Maddie responded. She glanced up at him, waiting for him to say something else.

He cleared his throat, momentarily caught off-guard by the way her dark hair flowed suavely behind her as she and Féileacán passed him. “So, uh…where are we headed to next?”

The troubled expression that suddenly flashed over Maddie’s face concerned him; she frowned deeply and furrowed her brow as she grunted back, “Blackwater.” She clicked her tongue; the filly beneath her quickened her pace into a canter.

“Hm.”

“Well, at least outside of town, most likely in Tall Trees. We’ll head out for West Elizabeth within the next day or so. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather spend as much time here as we can before duty calls.”

“Of course,” he agreed softly, watching her face intently. He understood why, but to prove his assumptions right, he asked, “Isn’t that where your pa lives?”

She nodded curtly. “Yup.”

“I thought so.” He shifted his weight from foot to foot. “So where’s our next man at? Somewhere in Tall Trees, I imagine?”

Maddie leaned back in the saddle; the young horse slowed back down to a lope. Her rider appraised her with several pats on the neck as she responded, “Yeah. I believe he’ll be at Aurora Basin, which may prove to be cumbersome for us. There isn’t much of a way we won’t be spotted…unless we sneak in from behind right up against the rocks. I trust you’ve been to Tall Trees?”

“Yeah. My ranch is right outside it.”

“Then you know what I’m talkin’ about.”

"I do. And I also get what you’re saying; unless we try to take ‘em head-on, or figure out a diversion of some kind, we’ll be sittin’ ducks out there when we try to pick ‘em off. It might be tricky.”

 Maddie eased her energetic mount down to a trot around the pen; she held tightly onto the horse’s sides with her legs as the horse flowed through the two-step rhythm of her bouncy gait. After a moment, she pulled the horse to a stop in front of Jack. Horse and rider faced him, their breathing slightly labored.

Jack nodded to the small horse and asked, “You gonna take her along?”

The horsewoman shook her head. “No. I’m pretty sure Bonnie’s gonna sell her along with five other horses down in Armadillo. She told me she’ll take them there by train and sell ‘em at the livestock pen.” She frowned sadly as she leaned forward and petted Féileacán affectionately on the neck. “It’s a damn shame, too. I really like this little filly. She’s got some spunk in her, but she’s a very good-natured horse. And she’s willin’ to please, too.” She sighed heavily. “I’m gonna miss her.”

 Jack felt an empathetic frown tug at the corners of his mouth. “I know you will.” He reached over the pen to pet the filly’s pink and grey muzzle. Féileacán nickered in response and looked at him with large, curious sky-blue eyes. He looked back up at Maddie. “You _could_ buy her from Bonnie, you know.”

Maddie grinned softly down at him before she slid off the filly’s back and hopped down to the ground. “I could, but the ranch needs money more than it does this little lass. Plus, I have Gypsy. It wouldn’t make much sense to own two horses and use one of them most of the time.”

“You could switch. It’s not unheard of, Maddie.”

“I know,” she sighed, “but like I said, I don’t need two horses.” She patted the horse good-naturedly on the neck before unbuckling the throat lash and pulling the bridle off the filly’s head. She hugged Féileacán around her neck before walking away and opening the gate. The tobiano followed, her head beside her shoulder, and when the two females exited the round pen, they stopped almost simultaneously. “Go on, lassie,” Maddie encouraged and waved the horse away. “Go get a drink; you’ve earned it.”

The horse nudged her sleeve with her muzzle. In response, her rider slid her hand up her forehead, following the blaze that ran up her nose, and scratched at the star underneath her black forelock. Maddie chuckled and whispered to the filly, “You just can’t leave me be, huh? That’s all right: I love bein’ around you, too, Féileacán.”

Jack watched this with an adorning smirk. “You talk to her as if you’re talkin’ to a friend.”

Maddie looked at him. “Of course, I do. Féileacán _is_ my best friend.”

He acted as if he took offense. “Oh, and I’m not?”

She gave him a pretentious smile. “Of course not. I hate your guts.”

The bounty hunters shared a laugh before turning their attention back to the tobiano, who hadn’t moved from her spot and seemed to be enjoying the sound of conversation: her head was slowly drooping, her ears were beginning to flop lazily to the sides, and her eyes were half-closed.

“Looks like we’re puttin’ her to sleep,” Jack commented with a snort and walked closer to the horse. He slid his hand down her painted neck and across her withers. “She sure is a pretty little thing.”

“I know,” Maddie agreed with a smile and rested her head against Féileacán’s black-and-white mane. She frowned and sighed sadly. “I’m sure gonna miss her.”

Jack rested his arm across the filly’s sweat-dampened back and leaned against her; the filly took his weight with pleasant indifference and rested her left hind hoof. “So, what’s the plan, then? Are we headin’ back out tomorrow, or the next day?”

“Probably the next day, unless you’re really rearin’ to go.”

He shrugged. “It’s up to you, really. I’m just askin’ is all. We don’t have to head out as soon as possible: you can take as much time off as you need, Maddie. It doesn’t matter to me.”

She beamed gratefully at him. The sadness in her eyes faded into tender camaraderie as she replied softly, “That’s nice of you…Then we’ll head out in a couple days.”

“Alright, then.” He patted the horse’s back twice before leaning away and sliding his arm off her. He turned and walked away quietly, leaving Maddie to spend some time alone with the horse. He grinned as an epiphany blazed through his mind; he walked briskly to his father’s shed where he had been residing the past several nights. He searched through his satchel and pocketed the wad of cash he’d earned from bounty hunting before he continued to the ranch house.

He found her in the kitchen preparing supper and humming a nameless tune. His stomach growled at the scent of bread baking in the oven and vegetables cooking on the stovetop. He wasn’t going to deny it: he’d come to enjoy Bonnie’s cooking over the last several days more than he did his mother’s in the month or so that she had learned.

“Evenin’, Miss MacFarlane,” he said cheerily as he leaned against the doorway. His hands settled around his belt as he watched Bonnie pause in the middle of cutting a slab of steak to turn around and look at him with an amiable smile.

“Evenin’, Mister Marston,” she replied in kind. “How are you?”

“Great, actually.”

 Bonnie’s blue eyes sparkled. “Is it because you’ve been spendin’ a lot of time with Maddie?”

Jack looked down at his boots and hid his blushing face behind his hat. He cleared his throat. “Bonnie, I was hopin’ you could do me a favor.”

She laughed at how sudden he changed the subject. She continued working on the steak as she asked, “Oh? What’s that, hon?”

“I was hopin’ you wouldn’t sell Féileacán. I want to buy her from you.”

The knife paused half-way in the steak; Bonnie stared up at him, perplexed. “Buy her from me? What for, Jack? You already have a horse.”

“It’s not for me. It’s for Maddie.” He walked forward and produced the wad of money he’d earned. “Here. I’ll give you two hundred and fifty dollars for the horse; the rest is payment for…well, _everything_. I know it’s not enough to cover my bail right now, but for all that you’ve done for me, it’s a hell of a good start.”

Bonnie’s jaw dropped as she numbly received the money. “Holy Christ, Jack…This is…This is too much.” She attempted to give it back to him, but he held up a commanding hand and shook his head.

“Just take it, Bonnie. Please. And keep that horse here on the ranch. I want Maddie to see her when we get back from bounty huntin’. And don’t tell Maddie about this; I want it to be a surprise.”

The blonde-haired woman smiled proudly at her friend and pocketed the money. With her clean hand, she cupped the side of his face and kissed the other side. “You’re becomin’ one hell of a fine young man, Jack. I’m sure Maddie will just _die_ when she comes back and sees that horse is still here.”

He beamed down at her. “I’m just bein’ a good friend, miss. Besides, it’s the least I can do for you good women.”

“Oh, Jack, you’re doin’ much more than we could’ve _ever_ hope for.”

His smile widened, and he inclined his head in gratitude. “Thanks, Bonnie. I do what I can.”

 

*             *             *

 

Their vacation lasted for half a fortnight; New Year’s came and went, and everyone celebrated the beginning of 1915 with exuberant amounts of alcohol and good cheer. Mother Nature had granted Hennigan’s Stead with a surprisingly early start to spring, for the weather warmed up considerably within the last days of December. A refreshed air of promise settled over the ranch, and the ambitious start of what everyone hoped to be a prosperous year had begun.

Jack and Maddie continued to help out around the ranch, all the while spending as much time together and with the ranch hands. They worked alongside the men and women, happy to have a change of pace and be productive in such a peaceful, rewarding atmosphere. Every day, chores came and went; every evening, the bounty hunters would go for a ride around Hennigan’s Stead, most of the time walking their horses and talking about everything and nothing, but occasionally, one of them would challenge the other to a horse race. The first time, Jack had won on Sundance, but it was only because Maddie was riding Féileacán that day; the second time, she was riding Gypsy, and she left Sundance behind in the dust. Jack had lost five dollars and a portion of his pride, especially when Maddie repeatedly rubbed her victory in his face for days afterwards. He and Sundance attempted to redeem themselves within those days, but to no avail: Gypsy was just too fast.

When they weren’t spending time together, Maddie and Jack sought out companionship with the same sex. Jack spend many an hour with either Eli Jones or Drew MacFarlane, most of the time socializing with them and splitting chores. Not once did he yearn to be in the company of Nathaniel; he did almost anything to keep away from the detesting man whenever he spotted him. To his relief, Nathaniel also kept a good distance from him. Neither man wanted to be anywhere near the other, and they were both fine with that. Maddie, on the other hand, spent as much time with Bonnie as she did with Jack. He would catch them sitting and drinking tea together in the living room, gossiping and catching up, as well as sharing the workload of cooking and cleaning.

Nevertheless, Maddie and Jack felt their internal clocks ticking away. They both knew it was time to return to the rough and bloody business of bounty hunting. Ten days after their arrival, another tearful, heart-felt goodbye and an encouraging send-off was shared between the bounty hunters and Bonnie, Drew, and the ranch hands. Yet again, as they rode out, this time heading in the opposite side of the ranch towards West Elizabeth, Jack had to look back and sigh sadly as he watched Bonnie and the others wave him goodbye.

 

*             *             *

 

Jack laughed as he received the shot from the bartender; he felt quite celebratory in the wake of his and Maddie’s victory over yet another successful bounty hunt. He threw back the shot swiftly, grinning as the alcohol pleasantly burned his throat. He set the shot back down and beckoned for the man behind Blackwater saloon for a refill.

“Keep ‘em comin’, barkeep,” he said.

To his and Maddie’s amazement, the bounty target named Dakota was relatively easy to bring in from Aurora Basin. He replayed it all in his head: he and his partner quickly devised the plan before they split up. Maddie took her position on the other side of the lake from the gang’s hide-out. She had hitched her horse at Tanner’s Reach and continued stealthily onward on foot with her Carcano rifle held before her, and she hid behind one of the many trees that flanked the bank of the lake. He, on the other hand, rode his horse around Tanner’s Reach and trotted alongside the rock face, right up to about two-hundred yards away from the shack where Dakota and his men hid. With his high-powered pistol at the ready, he dismounted Sundance and snuck up to a large boulder for cover and waited for the shooting to begin.

As they had planned, Maddie took the first shot from across the lake; as was expected, the gang charged forward, ready to take her down as they ran around the lake towards her guns firing. From her cover, she easily took down five out of the eight men that charged her. Jack then took the opportunity to finish the rest of the men from behind. He brought them down with ease before he shot Dakota in the leg, mounted up on his horse, and lassoed the bounty. Now, not even an hour later, he and his friend were celebrating. He had received his eighth pardon letter and two hundred and forty dollars, and he reckoned he’d spend a little of his reward money on a few drinks.

“You’re sure in a merry mood.”

He looked to his right and smirked at his companion, who stood holding her shot glass and staring into it with a queer expression on her face. His smile faded the instant he noticed her troubled expression. He set his shot down and faced her fully, looking her over with concern.

“You okay, Maddie?”

She frowned before taking the shot. She quietly set the glass back down on the bar and sighed. “I hate this town.”

Jack took a step closer to her. “I know. But hey, we brought in one more bounty. That’s somethin’ to celebrate, right?”

Her brow furrowed deeply as she scowled at the glass she spun around in her hands.

“You want another one, miss?” the bartender asked.

She nodded curtly and watched the man pour her another. The second the glass was full, she reached for it and threw it back without hesitation.

“Maddie, what’s goin’ on? You doin’ all right?”

She looked up at him for the first time in minutes. An uneasy gleam entered her eyes, a mixture of hate and sorrow that made him flinch the second their gazes met. “I have my reasons, Jack. You know what they are.”

He frowned guiltily. “Do you wanna get outta town, then? We can if you want.”

She shook her head, her long dark hair flowing from side to side. “No, I’ll be all right. It’s not like we have much of a choice, anyways.”

Jack rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. He looked her sincerely in the eyes and said, “We can camp outside of town. It’s all right. You know I don’t mind sleepin’ under the stars. We’ve had our fair share of nights like that.”

A small smirk flashed across her mouth, and her pained expression softened into happy remembrance. “Yeah, that _is_ rather nice…”

He kept his gaze on her. “But…?”

She blinked. “But what?”

“You sounded like you were gonna say somethin’ else.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but the words didn’t come. She was struggling with something.

He squeezed her shoulder. “Come on. Say it.”

“Well… there _is_ something…something I need to do before we head out.”

His brow furrowed over his inquisitive brown eyes.

“I’ll be back in a bit. I have some…uh…business to attend to.”

Jack blinked. “Um…alright. Where will you be? And how long?”

She shook her head and gave him a reassuring grin. “I won’t be long. Just wait for me here.”

“O-okay, then,” he stuttered. He watched as she hastily turned and walked out of the saloon. Through the windows, he gawked on as she mounted Gypsy and urged her into a lope around the corner and out of sight. _Wonder where she’s off to_ , he pondered with a puzzled frown. _She usually doesn’t go off like that…_

Twenty minutes passed as Jack stood at the bar waiting. To pass the time, he drank a beer and was about to order another one when he couldn’t stand being alone any longer. Of the time he’d spent with Maddie, especially the last two weeks, he’d found he couldn’t stand being by himself anymore, especially among strangers he didn’t care to be around. _That’s it_. He paid the bartender and walked out the door. _I have to find her._

Sundance was still hitched where he’d left him, and he quickly mounted the palomino and trotted him down the cobblestone street, his grey hooves clip-clopping a two-beat rhythm. The people of Blackwater, travelers and townsfolk alike, waved and greeted him as he passed by; he paid them no heed in his search for his companion. He rode down every street, over to the docks, and the train station, but he didn’t find her. He investigated the police station, the theatre, the bank, and all the shops, but to no avail. By this time, he had begun to panic.

His worries were laid to rest, however, when he loped Sundance on his way out of town. He was passing by the cemetery when he saw Gypsy hitched to the fence. Pulling up his mount, he dismounted and tied his horse beside Maddie’s. He considered looking in the chapel. _Why would she be in there, of all places? She’s not religious by any means._ Chuckling at the foolish prospect, he walked around the corner of the building and scanned the rows of gravestones.

And that was when he spotted her. About thirty strides in front of him, in the center of the nearest row, he found her standing before the last gravestone. Her head was bowed, and she held her hat and a bouquet of violet snowdrops in her hands. The breeze blew her hair and duster about, swirling them behind her beautifully.

Jack slunk back around the corner of the chapel, suddenly feeling guilty for finding her in such a tender moment. _I shouldn’t be here._ Nevertheless, he couldn’t help but feel slightly curious. Cautiously, he took a step forward, and leaned back around the corner of the chapel. Against his better judgment, he began to eavesdrop.

“…so it’s been goin’ good so far. He’s gettin’ better with every bounty we bring in, and he is changing. He’s unlike any man I’ve ever met, that’s for sure, and I’m not sayin’ that because he was an outlaw. There’s just…somethin’ about him, and I don’t know how to explain it to you. If you were here, I’d tell you all about him. Hell, I’d even introduce you to him. I think you’d like Jack. He’s a sad man with a cumbersome manner about him, and an even sadder past, but he’s interesting nonetheless. Sadly, I think it’s safe to say he’s the perfect man for this kind of job.” She scoffed and shook her head. “Hell, it’s sad that I’m right along with him. We’re a good team, and somehow, we make it work. We’ve had a couple minor problems, but we’ve been doin’ rather well, actually. It just _works_ for us. If there is a higher power, if Fate does exist, I think it sort of brought us together to do this job and bring justice to this land. Not many people have the luck that we have, or the success rate, or the amount of steady income, so I believe something’s at work here, some higher plan that’s afoot…It’s strange, really. But I know what you’d say: ‘Things happen for a reason.’ You’re absolutely right, Mama.”

Her voice darkened slightly, adopting a negative and questioning tone, as she continued, “But what I don’t get is why Fate ruins us as well. Bonnie’s doin’ just fine, but she’s still married to that worthless dipshit Nathaniel, and she won’t listen to me when I tell her to divorce his useless hide. She just doesn’t see…and someday I think she will, and when that comes, hell’s gonna break loose. It’ll be the end of days when it’s all revealed. She’ll come to realize he only married her for her money and her ranch, nothin’ else. Marriage shouldn’t be about financial gain and security; it should be about love and devotion. My God, she’s just too damn stubborn to see what should be so fuckin’ clear; I guess she’s blinded by love…or denial. Either way, things aren’t gonna end well for her, not unless she gets out now, and I keep tellin’ her and tellin’ her, but she won’t listen. She’s as stubborn as you were, Mama.”

She shook her head, and her tone became bitter. “That son of a bitch Nathaniel Johnson…He’s no good, and I’ll prove it someday. Hell, he’s worse than Pa, and that’s sayin’ a lot. Shit, I doubt Pa ever comes around here to visit you; he’s probably too busy with his money-hungry tramp and that new house of theirs downtown. He’s dead to me, and I know it’s sad to say, but that’s the truth. The day I lost you, I lost both parents…I lost myself…” She sniffled and gave a shaky sigh. “I…I don’t know where I’m goin’, or what I’m doin’. I don’t know where life’s takin’ me, or where I’ll end up…. And I miss you, Mama. I miss you every. single. day.”

She paused to wipe away several tears that had escaped and trickled down her face before she knelt before the grave. She laid the flowers tenderly at the foot of the gravestone and stifled a sob. “These are for you. I know how much you loved them. I never tire of ridin’ to Tall Trees to get them for you, nor will I stop ‘til I’m dead as well.”

 Maddie did not rise to her feet like Jack presumed she would: she stayed kneeling with her head bowed and her hair cascading to the ground. Her left hand clutched at the stems of the violet snowdrops while her right drifted to her face. Her body shivered from the force of her sorrow.

Jack felt the wave of sadness that plagued her; he was overcome with it as he felt it emanate and absorb into him. He leaned against the side of the chapel, panting and encumbered by the sight of her desperately fighting her grief. He wanted nothing more than to run to her and envelope her in his arms; he wished to take away all her pain, anger, and loss and transfuse it into him, so that she could live in peace and, for the first time, happiness. But guilt kept him rooted in his spot, and as he stood trembling against the building, he thought back on the days he had spent alongside his father’s grave and how heart-wrenching it was to watch his mother double over in her sorrow. He was strong back then, he had to be, and he had been…until now. Seeing his best friend in the exact same position he’d seen his mother made his knees almost give out under the weight of the emotional impact.

 _But_ _I need to be strong for her. She doesn’t need to be strong by herself—she’s done that all these years without me. It would be a relief for her…_ With a determined huff, he pushed himself off the chapel and quietly strode forward. He scoffed inwardly and shook his head. _And I thought_ I _was tough…_

Feigning like he had just stumbled upon her, Jack strolled up to her and asked softly, “Maddie? What are you doin’ here?”

She jumped to life at the sound of his voice. Wiping her face with the back of her right hand, she shot up to her feet and slapped her hat onto her head, tugging it low. Her hair shielded her face as she straightened up and dusted herself off. She cleared her throat before answering, “I’m…just…catching up.”

Jack cautiously approached her. He looked her over, and when he felt it safe enough, he rested a hand on the small of her back. “You okay? I’ve been lookin’ all over for you.”

“I’m fine,” she lied, sniffling and tugging down her hat even lower. Her eyes were glued to her mother’s gravestone and at the violet snowdrops that lay before it.

He followed her gaze and read the inscription, feeling his heart bleed as he did so.

 

_Irene Anne Ross_

_1858—1910_

_Beloved Mother and Wife_

_An Angel On Earth & In Heaven_

 

“Is this your mother?” he asked, even though he already knew the answer. He took off his hat in respect.

“Yes,” she whispered. “I visit her grave whenever I’m in Blackwater. I was just in Tall Trees gettin’ her those flowers: that’s why I was gone for a while.” She gently pressed her shoulder against him in an apologetic and affectionate way. “Sorry for makin’ you wait and worry.”

“It’s fine,” he murmured and stroked her back comfortingly. “If it means seein’ your ma and givin’ her flowers, I’ll give you all the time you need.”

She looked up at him with the most appreciative smile, and though it was saddening to see her pained expression and puffy, red eyes, she was irresistibly beautiful to him. The wind played with her hair in a stunning way, accenting both her sorrow and her joy at that moment. The evening sun painted her face with just the right amount of warmth and mirth. Her brown eyes sparkled as they looked deep into his; he returned the look with a soft, empathetic grin.

“Thank you so much, Jack,” she breathed.

“Any time,” he answered, feeling his cheeks burn and his heart race. He looked away to Irene’s grave. He was shocked and speechless when she wrapped her right arm around his waist and pulled him closer to her. He stared down at her as she rested her head against his left shoulder. It took him a second to accept and comprehend her action, but when he did, he wrapped his arm around her as well.

“It’s just hard, ya know?” Maddie said as she stared down at the grave. “It’s hard comin’ to Blackwater. It’s also hard ‘cause Pa lives here with… _her_.” She emphasized the word with disgust and nodded back past the chapel towards town.

“I can’t imagine how it must be for you,” Jack said, drawing her closer. “To have a parent that’s gone and to have the other living so close to your late mother has gotta be tough. I honestly don’t know how you keep on, Maddie.”

“Me?” she asked incredulously, looking up at him with raised eyebrows. “I don’t know how _you_ keep on. Both of your parents are gone, and you really don’t have much of a home to go to. I don’t know how _you_ manage. Compared to you, my life’s a damn _breeze_.”

“Don’t say that. You have just as much trouble as I do, if not worse.”

To this, Maddie said nothing. She frowned deeply, at a loss for words. Silence crept between them; the breeze stirred their clothes and hair, weaving through the graveyard peacefully, gracing the dead with bittersweet sighs in their rest. Jack held her close, and she him. Neither spoke as they stared down at Irene’s grave.

“Madeline? Is that you?”

He and Maddie flinched and turned around. Before them stood an elderly man dressed in a dark-grey suit. His yellowish-white hair was combed and slicked back; his full beard and mustache was well-groomed. In his hands he held a small bouquet of violet snowdrops. His dark eyes took in their presence with a mixture of shock, shame, and sadness.

Beside Jack, Maddie grew tense and immediately slipped on the cold visage of the bitter woman she was best known for portraying. Her eyebrows narrowed over her seething brown ovals as she took in the man’s features with bitter contempt and hatred. A heavy frown spread across her lips as she curtly nodded to the old man.

“Hello, Father.”

Jack blinked and looked from the man to Maddie and back. He quickly felt the overpowering sense of displacement; a cold, thick wall was instantly erected, a barrier that utterly ostracized him. He took a step away from the scene, getting the unmistakable feeling of an impending fight. He lightly touched Maddie’s shoulder and murmured, “I’ll, uh…I’ll leave you two alone.” Hastily, he turned and walked briskly over to the horses, disappearing around the corner of the church. He paused, however, to look back over his shoulder and study the old man briefly. He shook his head and frowned, thinking, _Damn, that guy looks so familiar…Where have I seen him before?_ He stood by the horses, stroking their muzzles to look busy should the man and Maddie look over at him. Carefully, he looked back at the tense situation behind him.

Father and daughter took in each other’s presence in awkward silence. Her father smiled affectionately, but it seemed somewhat forced and cracked with an under-layer of guilt and regret. Maddie kept her rigid stance and jerked her chin at him. “What are you doing here?” she asked accusingly.

“Sweetheart, I came lookin’ for you,” he replied sweetly. “I heard you were in town, so I thought I’d catch up with you.”

Maddie’s jaw clenched. She raised her chin defiantly. “Really.”

Her father nodded. “I missed you, and I wanted to see you.” He looked her over with wonder and shook her head. “You’re just as beautiful as your mother was. You haven’t been around here in a while. How are you?”

“You know the answer to that question. I avoid this cesspool of a town for a reason.”

He flinched, as if reacting to a painful prick from a needle. He looked to the side and murmured, “I know.”

Maddie’s eyes narrowed knowingly. “But we both know you’re not here to ‘catch up’ with me. What are you _really_ here for?”

He paused to stifle his pain before looking his daughter in the eyes. “There’s been…a death in the family.”

Her eyes widened tremendously, and she took a step forward. “What? Who?”

“Your uncle’s been murdered, Madeline. They discovered his body a week ago, and it’s taken me this long to tell you personally.”

Her jaw dropped. A terrible gasp escaped her. “Uncle Edgar? NO! No, he CAN’T be dead!”

The world seemed to grow dark and collapse all around Jack. The most horrible epiphany had been dropped down on him in that moment, cementing him heavily into the ground. His eyes bulged; he felt his heart stutter in his chest and his breath hitch painfully. The world was spinning as he came to the most terrible realization.

_No…It can’t be…_

Phillip Ross nodded gravely. “When your uncle and I went huntin’ several months ago, he…he was gunned down. I heard gunshots, but I thought it was just him shootin’ ducks and carrying on as he was. But I was wrong, _horribly_ wrong, and when I went down to the river, I couldn’t find him. All I found was his shotgun on the riverbed and two sets of boot prints. I couldn’t find him. His body floated downriver, so it was impossible for me to recover him. I called in all of Blackwater’s law enforcement, and we tried to figure out what happened.” He paused when his grief threatened to tear him down, but he swallowed thickly and looked back at his daughter. “He was found twenty miles downriver, and it was a wonder he was recovered. They were barely able to determine who he was: he was almost too shot up to be identified. Amazingly, he had his wallet on him, and whoever killed him left all the money, for some reason. The Bureau has been investigating and working on the case, but so far, nothing’s been discovered…”

Jack felt his stomach churn and his knees grow weak. He leaned against the iron fence of the church. _Jesus Christ, no…It can’t be him…He just CAN’T be her uncle!_

Maddie also felt the shock of the news: she stood before her father with slack-jawed denial and encumbered by grief. “Jesus Christ,” she whispered, her eyes welling with tears. “Who would do such a thing? Are…are there any suspects?”

Phillip paused. “There _is_ one suspect, but…there hasn’t been any evidence to support it. The trail’s as cold as the person who killed your uncle.”

Maddie shook her head. “I was looking for anything— _anything_ —to find out what happened to him. I was afraid he was dead, and I tried to look for a way to counter my horrible assumptions, but…to hear it…” She stifled a sob by covering her mouth with a hand.

Her father stepped closer with a hesitant hand hovering before him, seeking to comfort her. However, at the warning glare she shot him, he let his hand drop and he sighed with a pained expression on his face. He nodded in acceptance at the knowledge she didn’t want his comfort just as she had always refused.

Jack found himself stumbling over to the left side of his horse; he felt his shock-ridden body hoist itself up into the saddle, turn Sundance around, and gallop him out of town, not down the road, but straight north to the edge of the land. When he reached the banks where Flat Iron Lake cut into the land and trickled into a stream, he turned Sundance west and followed it into Tall Trees. He galloped his horse as fast as he dared across the plains, blindly urging him on and on until he realized he was surrounded by dense woodlands. He continued, straight into the heart of Tall Trees, following the upward rise of the land and not knowing what else to do in his blind grief and shock. He would’ve been elated to keep riding into no-man’s-land; however, his palomino was soon exhausted, and he at last reined his horse to a stop.

He found himself atop Nekoti Rock. It was the furthest he could’ve traveled away from Maddie, away from the horrors he’d discovered, and yet, it felt like he was only a skip away. Memories of the time his father rescued him from the bear temporarily flooded his mind as he sat atop Sundance looking around the top of the wondrous landmark. He shuddered as he looked from the uninhabited cave over to the large boulder where he cowered behind when he was just a young kid. _How stupid I was_ , he thought, _to think I could take on a fuckin’ bear._ He shook his head. _Pa must’ve been so damn disappointed in me, and for good reason._

He sighed and bowed his head, feeling his eyes brim with tears.

_How stupid I am now, to think I can get out of this mess I’ve created._

He dismounted and walked over to the steep drop-off, his feet inches away from the edge, and he stared out at the beautiful, picturesque view that lay before him. In the distance, Blackwater was a grey blob, and beyond that, he saw the glistening blue of Flat Iron Lake. No matter how peaceful and placid his current atmosphere was, he couldn’t help but quake with fear at the wicked thing he’d done.

_There is no way out of this; I can’t be free after all, it seems… God, I can’t face another day, now that I know what I’ve done to her…_

A single tear trickled down his cheek. He sighed egregiously and bowed his head, feeling his throat tighten.

_What have I done?_


	16. Penance

**Chapter Track** : “Giddy On Up” – Laura Bell Bundy

 

                The cigarette did nothing to calm his shaking hand or his nerves that night as he sat on the bench outside the log cabin of Manzanita Post. Pain had settled deep in his sternum as his guilt began to gnaw ravenously away at his insides like an insatiable parasite.

                His mind had been in a hazy fog of shock ever since he returned to Blackwater and reunited with Maddie. Luckily, her father wasn’t there to complicate things further, but even as he rejoined her side before her mother’s grave, he couldn’t bear to look at her. They had spent what felt like hours before the grave in utter silence, and it nearly killed Jack. He didn’t know what to say or do. He wished to comfort her, but the thought of touching the niece of the man he’d killed in his blind revenge made him nauseous. Instead, he stood frozen in time beside her, kept in silence by his shame and overwhelmed with guilt. It was only when dusk began to quickly settle around them did he utter, “Come on, let’s get outta here.”

                However, he had to physically remove her from the cemetery—her silent grief and shock kept her rooted in place before her mother’s grave Though it was excruciating to grab her by the arms and walk her to their horses, Jack helped her nonetheless. It was a wonder she was able to mount up on her horse by herself. By unspoken consent, they walked their horses away from Blackwater. The ride to Manzanita Post was utterly silent and painful. When they arrived at the outpost and paid for a night in the cabin, it was still unbearable to be in her presence. The second she had gotten into bed and turned her back to him, he hastened out the door and sat on the bench, where he remained for hours as the night enshrouded the world in darkness.

                The cigarette was quickly transformed into a stem of ash. He rolled another cigarette and lit up once more. He took a long, soothing drag, and as he blew out the smoke, he thought, _Now what do I do? What do I say? Or should I say anything at all to her? Hell, if I confess what I’ve done, she’ll beat me the shit outta me and probably kill me in the process._

                The sound of quiet sobbing interrupted his thoughts. He felt a sharp pain erupt his chest: Maddie’s sorrow was like a stake to his heart. _Goddamn it, she’s cryin’ again, and it’s all because of me._ He ran a hand over his face and sighed heavily. He wished nothing more than to go inside and wrap his arms around her, but his guilt kept him rooted in his seat. He took his hat off, ran a gnarled hand across his scalp, and sighed yet again. _What do I do?!_

                She wept bitterly for the next twenty minutes, until at last, she fell silent. All the while, Jack’s heart broke piece by piece, inch by inch, and he felt absolutely shattered. The cigarette didn’t last him as long as he would’ve wanted, so he lit up another. _At least she’s not cryin’ anymore…_ He glanced back at her sleeping figure through the window, and a small smile found itself slightly curving the corners of his mouth. _I was hopin’ she’d fall asleep soon._ He checked the sky above him through the tree branches and noticed the position of the moon. He guessed it was around three or four in the morning. _Hell, it’s about damn time. The poor woman, anyways._

                He took another drag from his third cigarette and shook his head. _What if I act like nothing happened? Will she see right through me, or is there a chance she’ll even be able to find out? It’s not like I left a trail of clues after I killed Ross anyway. Hell, it’s a wonder they managed to find his body, much less figure out who he was. Still wish they would’ve never found that evil son of a bitch anyways…He deserved to rot away in the murky depths of that river._

                A different thought dawned on him, making him sit up slightly. _What if she_ never _finds out? What if I_ never _tell her? As far as I know, no one’s really figured out what all happened to Ross... I_ could _just let things fade into the past, and no one would ever know…_

                He looked at his cigarette and frowned. It was a small stub of what it originally had been. He didn’t mind, though, as a resolution grew in his mind. He looked out past the train station, through the dense forest, and further out across the Great Plains.

                _She must_ never _know_. _I just gotta act like I don’t know a goddamn thing. It’ll be like it never happened. Someone else killed Ross,_ not _me. The kid who killed him is long since gone; who I was and who I am are completely different people, and it’s gonna stay that way._ He stood up, flicked the cigarette stump onto the dirt at his feet, and grounded it out. He quietly opened the cabin door and slipped inside just as the grey cover of dawn began to blanket the world around him.

 _She must_ never _know…_

               

*             *             *

 

                The sound of soft stirring, of belts being buckled, of firearms being loaded, jostled Jack from his brief slumber; it was only an hour or so, he guessed, that he had fallen asleep. He blinked his grogginess away, just enough to see clearly around the cabin.

                Sunlight poured through the windows, lighting up the room and show-casing his companion as she stood at the foot of her bed. Her bag lay atop it, its contents half-way spilling out onto the sheets. Maddie slapped her hat down onto her head and tugged it down; she shrugged her duster on. The morning air around her seemed stunned and shied away from her in fear as she slung her repeater over her shoulder and strapped on her pistols.

                “Where are you goin’?” he asked huskily.

                The strong-willed mask of vengeful determination was placed well over her face; she looked as though she could easily take on the world without so much as a flinch of fear. She slung her bandolier over her other shoulder and, without looking at him, replied with cold simplicity, “Our next bounty is at Bearclaw Camp, and I am goin’ after him.”

                “You sure?” he asked as he stirred underneath the sheets. He propped himself up on one elbow and looked her over with concern. “Yesterday was…kinda rough for you.”

                “I’m fine,” she said as she flicked the toggle up on each pistol before jamming them back into their holsters.

                Jack rose stiffly out of bed, frowning as he realized he still had his boots on. “Maddie, I think you should take some time off. We can stay here for a couple days and take it easy. You can take as long as you—”

                “DON’T give me any of that sympathetic bullshit!” she snapped. Her unkempt hair fanned out angrily behind her as she flicked her gaze to him. “I’m _FINE_. Contrary to your belief, I _can_ do my job _despite_ the fact that my uncle’s dead. He’s gone, and there’s nothin’ more I can do about that. Feelin’ sorry for myself and mourning over the man I’d come to idolize isn’t gonna do me any damn bit of good. So I’m movin’ on. I’m _past_ being sad. I’ve shed my fair share of tears, and that’ll be all I’ll allow myself to grieve. Now, I am **_pissed off_**. Instead of whinin’ and wishin’ for things to be different, I’m gonna do something about it. What I’ll do first is help you bring in the rest of your bounties. Then, you’re on your own, because after we’re done with this job, I’m gonna track down my uncle’s killer. There won’t be any recognizable features on his body once I’m done with the son of a bitch! I don’t care what I have to do, I don’t care how long it takes, I _will_ track this man down and I _will_ kill him.” She nodded suggestively down at him and added, “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d appreciate it if you’d get the lead outta your ass and get ready.”

                A cold flame of fear seared his chest as he stared up at her. He knew she would stand by her words. _Jesus, I’m in for it,_ he couldn’t help thinking as he stood and hastily got ready. The second he loaded his firearms and donned them, she walked out the door and saddled her horse.

 

*             *             *

 

                The rain pounded on the roof and windows of the Blackwater saloon later that night, bringing in most of the townsfolk who sought shelter and companionship during the uncanny weather. Not long after Jack and Maddie bagged their bounty and returned to town, it had begun to downpour over Great Plains. Spring had settled rather quickly over the land, bringing with it the first of what would be many thunderstorms.

                Jack stood shivering at the bar leaning on the counter with his elbows. The glass of warm gin he held in his hand and sipped at did nothing to bring him comfort like he thought it would. He was absolutely drenched and not in the greatest of moods: not only was his clothes and hair plastered to his skin, he was generally frightened for his companion. The bounty hunt went well; Maddie approached from the south, he from the west, and together they gunned down the gang before Jack rode in and lassoed the bounty. It was just like any other time; however, the violence that Maddie brought to the task was quite unsettling. She had gunned down most of the gang members, ten in total, in less than two minutes. Forsaking the cover of the trees around her, and with both pistols blazing away in a red-hot rage, she stormed the camp with fearless determination, so much so that it startled the men she was attacking. Her war cries and taunts hindered them from attacking her for a split second, and it was all she needed to have the advantage and slay them all. She had succeeded in intimidating not only the outlaws, but her partner as well. During the shoot-out, Jack was only able to gun down three out of the ten gang members.

                Now, as he stood a few feet away from her, he couldn’t help but look upon her with discomfort. She stood on his left shivering and clutching her glass of scotch with a grip so tight he could’ve sworn it was going to shatter. Her face was so screwed up from the hateful scowl it held he almost didn’t recognize the beautiful woman he’d come to care for and admire. She was so unaware of her loud, cramped surrounding; her internal dark battle and her deep thoughts kept her from seeing the world around her. Nothing existed but the black hatred that had quickly consumed her and cast a vengeful veil over her dark-brown eyes. Though she had caused a large amount of bloodshed only half an hour ago, she still seemed unsatisfied. She raised the glass to her lips and drank the golden liquid without so much as a wince from its potency.

Jack opened his mouth to ask how she was fairing, but he closed it when he felt his voice hitch in his throat. _She’s not gonna want to talk to me, anyways,_ he reasoned as he looked back at his drink and took another sip. He took his hat off and ran a hand through his drenched hair, flicking the moisture off before slipping his hat back on. He looked over his shoulder through the windows. It was still down pouring outside. _Jesus, it’s comin’ down hard. I’m glad we didn’t camp out on the plains tonight._ He looked back at his sour companion and frowned, wishing he could break the black wall that had formed between them. _She’s fallen deep into herself. I wish she’d come out of it already…But then again, I’m the one who made her this way._ Before he felt the guilt begin to build up, he shut the painful memories of yesterday away and forced himself to forget.

                He took a cautious step toward her. His closest hand rose tentatively up and hovered behind the small of her back. He wished nothing more than to touch her, perhaps even draw her into a comforting hug, but his hand drifted back down to his side. The wound he’d caused in her heart and felt in himself was still too raw—it was still bleeding profusely and refused to coagulate, as he knew it would for a long time. He set his hand onto the counter instead and scowled at the glass he held in his other hand.

                Maddie abruptly looked over at him. “You don’t have to worry about me bitin’ your hand off, Jack. You’re not the cause of my anger.”

                _But I am_ , he almost answered back as he looked her in the eyes. He gave her a warm grin as he said, “So you _are_ alive after all.”

A faltered smirk crossed her lips. She snorted and glanced down at the scotch she held before her. “Not completely, but still kickin’.”

                “I’m glad to hear it. You were startin’ to worry me.”

                “Why? Just because we haven’t spoken since we got back to town?”

                A troubled frown seized his mouth and held itself there for quite some time. He bowed his head, feeling the guilt beginning to creep back out into his mind from the crevice he’d forced it into. Struggling to return it to its rightful dark abyss, he swallowed thickly and croaked back, “It’s not just that. I…I heard you cryin’ last night, and I just feel bad for you.”

                Her face hardened into a cold mask of stark emotion. She took a large drink and glared at the painting of the nude woman behind the bar. Her lips twitched and her eyes darkened as she tried to think of a response that would restore her rigid reputation.

                “I didn’t mean to hear you, I was just…I mean, I left to have a smoke, but I could still…” When his mouth faltered to spit up a viable excuse for his eavesdropping, Jack fell silent and stood awkwardly beside her. He flicked his gaze from the drink in his hand up to her and murmured, “Look, I’m sorry, alright? I’m sorry I was listenin’ to you last night, and I’m sorry about your uncle. I wish you didn’t have to go through all this.”

                She pursed her lips as she looked down at her glass. “I don’t need any sort of pity, especially from you, Jack. Feeling pitied is just as bad, if not worse, than enduring the loss of a family member. You must understand.”

                “I do completely.”

                “Then don’t feel sorry for me, and don’t worry about me.” She set her face into the emotionless visage she wore the best. “Death is a part of life, and it’s not something to dwell on.”

                He shook his head in wonder. “You’re just…somethin’ else, miss. I don’t think I’ve ever met a woman quite like you.”

                She let slip a miniscule smirk past her mask of iron. Humor briefly lit up her eyes as she looked at him. “I suppose I should feel flattered by that statement.”

                “And are you?” Jack asked as he turned and faced her fully. He leaned his right elbow against the bar and stood there as casually as he could as he looked down at her intently. Though her clothes and hair were just as drenched as his, she still had a lustrous shine. Her face, pale from the cold, had finally begun to blush with color from the warmer atmosphere. Before he could stop himself, he set his drink down and rested a hand on her shoulder. When she didn’t shy from his touch, he grew confident and tucked a thick strand of hair stuck to the side of her face behind her ear.

                Comforted and unabashed by his touch, Maddie beamed up at him, her eyes brightening with affection and gratitude. “I am, actually. And I’m flattered to call you my friend. We make the unlikeliest of friends, don’t we?”

                “Yeah, we kinda do.”

                They shared a brief warm look before Jack turned away and took up his drink. He sipped at the gin to busy himself, especially when he felt Maddie’s eyes on him. He nearly flinched when he looked back at her and saw she was staring at him with the most affectionate gaze, the corners of her mouth turning upwards into an adoring grin and her brown ovals glistening.

                “What?” he asked.

                She shook her head harshly, snapping out of her loving reverie. “Nothin’,” she murmured as she looked down at her drink. She took a sip. “You’re just…somethin’ else.”

                “That’s kind of you to say that.”

                She laughed and glanced back up at him. “I have my moments, however brief and rare they are.”

                He gently shoved his shoulder into hers and taunted, “Yeah, that’s true.”

                Their chuckles blended together beautifully. Jack took a step closer to Maddie and put his hand on the small of her back. The bounty hunters fell silent as they drank, yet in that silence, they found peace, mirth, and reverence for the moment they were sharing. For a moment in time, they were spared of the troubles from yesterday, and the boisterous sounds of laughter, raucous talk, and the piano being played in the corner was all that they listened to.

                Jack felt like he could’ve stayed in this moment for all of time; however, his peace was abruptly ended as movement at the top of the staircase caught his attention. He looked up and felt his jaw drop as he saw Bonnie’s husband casually walking down the stairs with a prostitute trailing behind him. They paused at the bottom of the staircase, right behind the poker table, not twenty feet away from where Jack and Maddie were standing at the bar, to say their goodbyes. Nathaniel stroked the whore’s hair, leaned closer to her, and whispered something in her ear as he slipped her a wad of cash. He grinned when the woman kissed his cheek and murmured, “See you next time, sweetheart.”

                Jack set his drink down in bewilderment. “Son of a bitch.” His arm fell away from Maddie’s lower back.

                “What?” Maddie asked as she looked up at him. She studied his shocked expression and followed his gaze. She slammed her drink down on the counter. “NATHANIEL JOHNSON, YOU CHEATING SON OF A BITCH!”

                “Oh, shit,” Jack cursed and jerked a hand out as she stepped around him and lunged forward. His reach was inches short as she charged forward, shoving men out of the way. “Shit, shit, shit!” He raced after her, his hand still reaching out.

                The prostitute screamed and flailed her arms as Maddie grabbed her by the arm and threw her into the poker table, overturning it and causing the men playing their card game to shout and curse. Nathaniel tried to turn and flee, but he gave a cry of panic as he was seized viciously by the collar. Maddie’s right fist collided against the left side of his face, and he tumbled to the floor.

                “OUTSIDE, RIGHT NOW! I’M CALLIN’ YOU OUT, YOU CHEATING BASTARD!” Maddie bent down, picked him up by the collar of his shirt, and threw him towards the door.

                The man stumbled out the double-swinging bat doors and fell onto the cobbled streets of Blackwater, quickly becoming soaked by the pouring rain. Maddie stalked after him and kicked him back down to the street when he tried to gather himself up off the ground.

                “STAND UP, YOU ROTTEN FUCK!”

                As he righted himself, she walked down the street ten paces away and stood with her right hand hovering over her pistol. Nathaniel stood, sporting an outraged expression. “How _dare_ you touch me with your _filthy hands_ , you _HYSTERICAL BITCH!_ I will _not_ subject myself to your savage ways of settling things! I ought to report you to the police and have them throw you in jail!”

                A drumroll of thunder surged above them; lightning flickered across the sky, casting the two in a dark silhouette and highlighting their scowling faces and glinting firearms. The torrential rain beat down on them. Jack didn’t notice any of this as he ran outside and stood slightly in between them, not directly in the crossfire but not off to the side. He looked from Maddie to Nathaniel and back, quaking and feeling oddly out of place as the people in the saloon trickled out and stood behind him watching. For once, he was a spectator of a duel, not a participant.

                “Oh, my God, is that Maddie Ross out there?” someone gasped.

                “What the hell’s goin’ on?” another one demanded.

                “Oh, hell,” Jack uttered faintly, feeling his stomach knot itself as he watched the scene unfold before him.

                “YOU’VE BEEN CHEATIN’ ON BONNIE, YOU MISERABLE WRETCH!” Maddie roared, pointing accusingly at him with her left hand while keeping her other hand hovering over her right pistol. “YOU DESERVE TO BE SHOT DOWN IN THE DIRT LIKE THE SULLIED WORM YOU ARE! HOW _DARE_ YOU TREAT YOUR WIFE LIKE THIS! HOW _DARE_ YOU BE UNFAITHFUL TO HER!”

                “You cannot prove a FUCKING THING, Maddie! Who are you to think you can treat me like this, you pathetic imbecile of a bounty hunter?!” He jabbed a thumb into his chest and declared tyrannically, “ ** _I_** OWN THE RANCH YOU RESIDE ON! I can EASILY kick you off my property if I wanted to!”

                **“ _IT WAS NEVER YOURS TO BEGIN WITH!”_** she screamed back and swiped at the air with a sharp jerk of her hand. “It has _ALWAYS_ been BONNIE’S, **_NOT_** yours! As far as I’m concerned, you have NO RIGHT to be bossin’ me around, and you have NO RIGHT to be DOIN’ THIS TO YOUR WIFE! Now face me like a man and let’s settle this shit once and for all!”

                Nathaniel threw back his head and guffawed. “You think you can just tell me what to do, you little girl? You think you can gun me down and call it justice? As far as I’m concerned, I haven’t done a single fucking thing wrong!”

                “YOU MARRIED BONNIE FOR HER MONEY AND HER PROPERTY, YOU SADISTIC, COLD-HEARTED FUCKER! THAT’S ALL IT WAS _EVER_ ABOUT! YOU _NEVER_ CARED FOR HER, AND YOU’RE SURE AS SHIT PROVIN’ IT!”

                Nathaniel’s handsome face drooped; all traces of sarcasm and priggishness faded. A long moment passed as he and Maddie stared each other down.

                “Goddamn it, NO!” Jack cried out and rushed up to Maddie. He grabbed her left arm and hissed, “Maddie, stop this! This is insane! What the hell are you doin’?!”

                “I’m doin’ what needs to be done, Jack,” she said and yanked her arm out of his grasp. “I’m doin’ what I should’ve done _years_ ago, back before Bonnie made the mistake of marryin’ this son of a bitch!”

                He grabbed her again and looked her in the eyes. “You can’t just shoot Bonnie’s husband! Have you _completely lost it_ , Madeline?! Think about what you’re about to do to Bonnie! For just one second, think about how you’d make her feel. Trust me, you _don’t_ wanna do this to your best friend, even if her husband _does_ deserve it.”

                “Step aside, Jack! I know what I’m doin’, and what I’m doin’ is the right thing.”

                “I’m not gonna stand by and watch you duel him, Maddie! I won’t let you shoot him. You can’t do this.”

                “FUCK OFF, JACK!” she roared and pushed him away. “If you knew what was good for you, you’d back the hell off and let me do this! Otherwise, you’ll be suffering the same fate as well. So just BACK OFF!”

                Jack stumbled back, shocked to have been so easily thrown aside by her and astounded by her bloodthirsty intentions. He took a few steps back and watched on helplessly.

                Maddie faced Nathaniel with an evil smile upon her lips. “I’m gonna enjoy this.”

                “And I’m gonna enjoy putting _you_ in your _place_ , you sadistic, cross-dressing slut!” he shot back. He motioned to her with a jerk of his head and demanded, “You think you’re some important woman who can demand and instantly receive the respect of every single man she meets? Do you really think you’re making a difference? You’re NOTHING, Maddie! You’re just a goddamn speck of dust, a tattered old soul of a dying age that’s quickly being modernized! _Things are changing, Maddie!_ You are just a snot-nosed, arrogant little bitch who is too bull-headed and STUPID to realize that you’ll never amount to a DAMN THING! You’re nothing but a child in my eyes and to the rest of the world! Today, I’m going to show you just that!”

                His speech didn’t affect her in the slightest. Her eyebrows lowered darkly over her narrowed eyes. “That’s a lot of strong talk comin’ from a man with absolutely no backbone. You think you’re the first man to say such things to me? You think just because you’re some savvy businessman you can do whatever the hell you want? Do you honestly think you’re better than me? Well, keep tellin’ yourself that, sunshine, because until I see such accusations being proven, you’ll remain in my eyes a man with no balls or brawn or _any_ sense of morale and decorum in a world that’s supposedly becomin’ civilized. Civilized is a _mighty_ hazy word, mister.” She gestured to the space between her and her rival. “Just take a look at what you’re about to be partakin’ in. You call what you’re about to do _civilized?_ If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re one pitiful excuse for a man and that you’re one hypocritical son of a bitch!” She brought up her chin and finished powerfully, “I fear no man alive, _especially_ the likes of a mangy dog like you!”

                Nathaniel stood seething. His face was set into the ugliest look of determination. Maddie stood fearlessly before him, a cocky smirk gracing her lips as she stared the man down with cruel intentions. It was a wonder the rain could pass through the area of hatred around the two gunslingers. Jack watched along with the rest of the spectators with horrified anticipation as they waited to see who would draw first. The night and the incapacitating thunderstorm swallowed the town in darkness; lightning flashed above and thunder shook the world.

                Jack watched Maddie’s face intently. For the longest minute, she stared back at Nathaniel. Her expression didn’t change during that time, but just when Jack thought about looking over at Nathaniel, her smirk grew a fraction, and her eyes narrowed. As fast as the lightning that flashed above her, she drew her pistol.

                A single gunshot split through the torrential thunderstorm. A mangled scream followed, and all eyes turned to Nathaniel as he dropped his gun and clutched his right hand that had begun to spurt dark-red blood onto the ground. Hunched over and staring at his bleeding hand with open-mouthed shock, Nathaniel shrieked, _“YOU BITCH! YOU SHOT MY HAND!”_

                Maddie smiled maniacally as she walked up to him, her gun held at the ready and pointed at his chest. “Oh, trust me, boy, that’s not _all_ I’m gonna shoot.” She pointed her pistol down at his left kneecap and pulled the trigger.

                Nathaniel shrieked and fell to the cobbled-stoned street. More of his blood stained the ground, but as quickly as it was shed, the rain cleansed wherever it had touched.

                “You’re lucky I didn’t shoot your dick off, Nathaniel,” Maddie growled as she came to stand over him, her gun pointed at his groin. “That should’ve been the _first_ thing I shot off you, since you’ve gotten into the habit of usin’ that so often on God knows how many whores here in Blackwater. However, that’s the next place I’m gonna shoot at if you try anything, so if I were you, I’d lay there like the cowerin’ dog that you are. And while you’re layin’ there, you might wanna listen up.”

                When he opened his mouth to interject, she kicked him sharply in the groin. A gargled shriek emanated from him as he curled into the fetal position and lay there moaning, his bloody hand lying useless on the ground and the other clutching at his crotch.

                “What did I _just_ tell you?” Maddie chastised, cocking her head slightly to the side in amusement. Her homicidal visage returned as she advised darkly, “Now, you listen and you listen good: I want you to pick your worthless carcass up, go to the court house, and file for divorce. You do this, and I let you go with what little dignity and masculinity you’ve got left. If you refuse to do as I say, well…I’ve got all the time in the world to beat the ever-livin’ shit outta you until you come to your senses and do my bidding, or just until you just bleed out and die right here on the street.”

                “F-Fuck you, bitch!” the man managed to cough up. “Even if I were to lower myself to your commands, I wouldn’t be able to do such a thing! The courthouse is closed, you idiot! Besides, Bonnie wouldn’t believe you!”

                “Oh, you think she won’t now?” A spiteful smile danced across her lips as she holstered her pistol. “We’ll see about that when you tell her _yourself_.” She unfurled her lasso from her satchel and widened the loop.

                As she took a few practice swings, Nathaniel scrambled up to his feet as fast as his pain would allow him. The whites of his eyes shown brightly in the darkness as he turned and limped away. He only managed to take three steps before the lasso wrapped itself around his waist, cinching his arms down tightly at his sides. He gave a despairing cry as Maddie yanked back on the rope, causing him to fall back down to the ground on his side. He lay there squirming and grunting helplessly in the mud, soiling his top-dollar suit.

                Maddie walked up to him, keeping the lasso tight, before she knelt and tied him up. “Try runnin’ away _now_ , you son of a bitch,” she chuckled darkly as she stood back up. She looked over her shoulder and whistled for her horse. Within a few seconds, Gypsy came galloping around the corner and came to stand obediently beside her rider. Maddie patted her trusty steed affectionately on the neck before she bent down and grabbed her captive by the arms. As she threw him over her horse’s rump and tied him to the saddle, she added, “We’re goin’ on a little joy ride. I hope you’ll enjoy this; _I_ sure as hell will.”

                “NO! Please don’t take me to Bonnie! _PLEASE!_ I’ll pay you _whatever_ you want, Maddie, I have money to spare!”

                “No amount of money is gonna save you now. Your fate is beyond any sort of recompense, Nathaniel Johnson, and you will come to terms with the full horror of your atrocities.” With that, she mounted up and gathered the reins in both hands.

                “Maddie, wait!” Jack cried out. He ran up to her, his hands spread out to stop her. “Wait a minute! Where are you goin’?”

                She gave him a dumbfounded look. “Takin’ this bastard to Bonnie. Where do you think?”

                “You’re can’t be serious.”

                “As sure as God’s wrath, I am,” Maddie growled back. “There will be no pity for this prick when Bonnie and Drew find out what he’s done. I’d _love_ to torture this bastard further, but I’ll leave that to his wife and father-in-law. They can finish him off if they wish.” She reined her horse around and nudged her horse’s sides. Gypsy walked forward, her ears flat against her head: the mare wasn’t too elated about being out in the pouring rain, but she complied to her rider’s commands nonetheless.

                “Wait, you’re goin’ _right now_ , in this _storm?_ ”

                “Why not? The sooner Bonnie finds out what he’s done, the quicker this blasphemy of a marriage will be over. It’s about damn time she’s realized how dastardly her husband is.”

                “Goddamn it, Maddie!” He walked briskly after her, his boots sloshing through the puddles and mud. He whistled for his horse, and when his palomino came loping up to him, he mounted up before the horse came to a stop. He urged the horse after Maddie and Gypsy as he gathered the reins up and tugged his hat down further onto his head. As Sundance trotted up beside Gypsy, he shouted, “This is insane, Madeline! You’ve gone too far this time!”

                Maddie kicked her horse into a gallop out of town, scowling and tucking her chin down as the increased speed made it more difficult to see. She tugged her hat down further onto her head to help keep the rain out of her face.                 Sundance kept pace with Gypsy. Though he wore his father’s hat, it did nothing against the stinging, fat droplets of rain that pelted his face and body. Ignoring his discomfort, he demanded, “You hear me, Maddie?! You’ve _completely lost it_ , you crazy woman!”

                “I am NOT crazy!” she rebuked, raising her voice as a thunderclap boomed overhead and caused their horses to whinny and jink sideways in fear. Reining her horse back into control, she threw Jack a menacing glare and explained, “I’ve just had it with this asshole is all!”

                “You’re just lookin’ for a fight!” Jack hollered back, meeting her gaze and shaking his head with disappointment as he reined Sundance closer to his crazed companion and her fearful horse. “ _That’s_ what this is all about, isn’t it?! You’re _lookin’_ for an excuse to get violent! You’re too damn angry, and you’re not thinkin’ right, especially after what happened yesterday.”

                “I _TOLD_ YOU I’M _JUST FINE_ , GODDAMN IT!”

                “NO, YOU’RE **_NOT!_** ”

                Maddie lashed her horse’s sides with the ends of her reins; Gypsy galloped down the road. Very soon, they crossed the Great Plains and made their way towards the swamplands that surrounded Thieves Landing.

Jack kicked Sundance to catch up with the speedy mare. He grew wary as the road beneath his horse’s hooves had quickly become a slippery mess. “We ought to slow it down! Our horses are gonna slip and fall.”

                “SHUT IT!”

Gypsy tossed her head as her front right hoof slipped out from underneath her and she had to quickly correct her footing. Her rider whipped her again; the black mare sprinted on, the whites of her eyes glowing in the darkness of the storm.

                “ ** _MADELINE!_** SLOW YOUR HORSE DOWN OR I’LL PULL YOU RIGHT OFF HER!”

                “JUST GO AHEAD AND TRY IT, YOU BASTARD!”

                “DON’T THINK I WON’T!”

                She refused to carry out his demands, even as they rode through Thieves Landing. Men and women alike dodged out of the way with cries of terror as Gypsy and Sundance barreled through the town and across the bridge. As they rode down the main road through the prairie of Hennigan’s Stead, Jack reined Sundance closer to Gypsy. He leaned over, yanked Gypsy’s reins out of her rider’s grasp, and pulled the horse back into a slow lope.

                “THE HELL ARE YOU DOIN’?!” Maddie screamed as she slapped his arm.

                Jack pulled both horses to a sliding stop in the middle of the road. Thunder rolled and cracked, causing the exhausted horses to shriek and half-rear. Maddie grabbed onto the saddle horn and screamed, “Jack, let go of my horse or I’ll punch your face in!”

                When their horses landed back down on all fours, Jack glared menacingly at her and gripped Gypsy’s reins tightly in his right hand. “THAT’S ENOUGH! From here on out, we’re walkin’ our horses to Bonnie’s, whether you like it or not! Even if I have to lead your horse all the way there, we’ll walk ‘em through the rain. You understand me?”

                Her jaw clenched and her eyes narrowed to dark slits.

Jack returned the glare. “You gonna stop actin’ foolish now, or do I have to pony you all the way to Bonnie’s?”

                “Let go of my horse,” she said through clenched teeth.

                “Only if you start actin’ like an adult.”

                “I _am_ an adult.”

                “Well, you sure as hell ain’t actin’ like one!”

                “And you sure as hell ain’t my father, yet you’re tryin’ to be!”

                He leaned closer as he pointed a threatening finger at her and scolded, “DON’T compare me to him, Madeline! I’m _not_ tryin’ to act like your father, but you need to shape up and get over yourself, lady! This night’s gone to hell, and I don’t need you to make it worse, alright? When we get to Bonnie’s, you’d better not lose yourself again to your anger. _I’ll_ handle it, okay? _I’ll_ tell her what happened, and _you_ will shut up and hold Nathaniel in place while Bonnie or Drew or whoever beats the shit outta him. Got it?”

                “Who are you to tell me what to do, Marston?” She was so angry she on the verge of tears. Her voice quaked with the force of her rupturing emotions as she continued, “I have lived my whole life doin’ whatever I deemed best for. I have been forced to grow up quick and learn how to survive. I can trust my own decisions as the best thing to do, and yet here you are, some boy who’s just _barely_ just gettin’ back on his feet after a rather terrible downfall. _You don’t know what’s best for me, and neither does anybody else on this godforsaken shithole of a world we live in!_ ”

                “I’m just lookin’ out for the only friend I’ve ever had, that’s all! Is that so bad?”

                His statement made her anger fade into shock; her mouth dropped open and her eyebrows rose as she stared at him.

                Before she could respond, Jack wrapped her horse’s reins around his saddle horn and nudged Sundance’s sides. As the thunderstorm sieged the world around them, they rode down the road toward Bonnie’s ranch in silence.


	17. Logic and Morals

The campfire crackled and snapped in the darkness, filling in the silence between the two bounty hunters that sat across each other. It danced and swayed to the rhythm of its own beat, craving for attention that it unfortunately wasn’t getting from the humans that had distanced each other and sought different ways to pass the time and ignore each other’s presence. An unnerving chill had settled over the Great Plains as night cloaked the world. The campfire glowed in the night, keeping the dangerous wildlife of Tall Trees at bay—Maddie and Jack had settled in for the evening in the clearing between Tall Trees and the Pacific Union railroad camp.

Jack lay on his back atop his bed roll with his saddle serving as his pillow. Beside him, his father’s hat lay a safe distance away from the fire, as well as his satchel and duffel bag. In his hands he held the red leather-bound book Maddie had given him for Christmas: as soon as camp was made, he hid himself deep within the pages, too shook up from the evening’s events and hastily wishing to forget them. Quite quickly, the play had grasped him firmly; the old hunger and curiosity he felt when he used to read as a boy reemerged, waking steadily out of its hibernation before consuming him. He felt exhilarated yet calm; his heart raced yet he lay there absolutely still. Despite what had happened an hour ago, he was at peace.

The rain had stopped by the time Maddie and Jack arrived at the MacFarlane ranch with Nathaniel in tow. Bonnie and Drew came outside when the ranch hands had gathered around them and caused a commotion with an uproar of voices. Ignoring Jack’s demands, Maddie told Bonnie what happened when she furiously demanded why her husband was tied to the back of her horse and bleeding. Before he could interject and tell his companion to back off, Maddie insisted she let her finish the dastardly man off for his crime. Bonnie’s answer was exactly what he’d expected: she grew outraged and cursed her younger, brash friend for taking matters into her own hands when she should’ve just told her what happened. After being yelled at for five minutes straight, Maddie suddenly threw her hands up and roared, “Alright, FINE! If it upsets you so much that I gave this bastard what he deserved, then I’ll just leave!” As she mounted up and rode away, she shouted back over her shoulder, “You should be _thanking_ me, Bonnie!”

Jack had lingered back, feeling torn between following his irate partner and wishing to console Bonnie, who was livid with anger and crying.

“Get goin’, boy,” Drew said as he held his daughter. “There’s nothin’ you can do for her now. I’ll handle this; you just go after Maddie and make sure she doesn’t do anything else stupid.”

So he left feeling terrible. He trailed after Maddie all the way back to West Elizabeth. It wasn’t until midnight when they finally made camp. Not a word was spoken since, and it looked like it would stay that way for the rest of the night.

He paused in the middle of his reading to look Maddie over. She sat cross-legged on the other side of the fire, her face set in a most foul scowl as she took apart her pistols and cleaned them. _Damn, she’s still in a mood_ , he thought as he returned to his book. _Wonder how long it’ll last. Hope she doesn’t bite my head off tonight when I’m sleepin’._ He brought the book closer to his face to hide behind it as he read on.

Half an hour passed; the silence settled deep around the camp save for the sounds of metal clinking together and scrubbing and scraping as Maddie tended to her firearms. When they were clean and put back together, she unsheathed her hunting knife and took a whet stone out of her bag. She spat on the stone and began sharpening her blade, her scowl slowly beginning to fade as time wore on.

Jack looked up at her and shook his head _. I guess it’s best to just leave her be for tonight. Maybe she’ll get over it by mornin’._ He fiddled with the hawk feather that served as his book mark as he continued reading, once again settling deep within the book and becoming lost within its pages.

The scraping of the knife abruptly stopped. “You’re awfully quiet.”

Jack flinched by the sudden break of the silence; her voice scared him even though it was quiet and thoughtful. He leaned closer to the book as he murmured, “I’m reading.”

She continued to stare at him.

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “Yes?”

Her eyes sparkled with curiosity. The glow of the fire cast a beautiful shade of amber on her, illuminating her face with a heavenly aura. Jack felt his heart stutter in his chest. He swallowed thickly and stared at her, feeling his cheeks begin to burn.

She cocked her head slightly to the side, her hair falling down her right shoulder, and narrowed her eyes at him as she asked, “Do you find me too abrasive and violent?”

He blinked. “Uh…”

“I’m just askin’, ‘cause you haven’t said a word to me after we left Bonnie’s. Do I unsettle you, Jack?”

He sat up with a groan and marked his place with the feather. He closed the book and set it on his lap as he turned and faced her. “I’m not gonna lie… Sometimes you do. Hell, I think you scared the hell outta everybody in Blackwater, not to mention Nathaniel. That man is probably still shakin’. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a man more petrified.”

Maddie grinned. “Good.”

Jack narrowed his eyes. “No, it’s not. That’s _not_ how you handle things, especially when they’re not yours to deal with. I agree with Bonnie: you should’ve just told her what was goin’ on instead of beatin’ her husband half to death and carryin’ him on your horse like you would a bounty.”

Her mouth dropped open in outrage. She gestured angrily as she yelled, “ _I’ve been trying to tell her ever since they got married!_ He’s been sneakin’ around screwin’ every single prostitute in Blackwater! NOT ONCE did she listen to me! It _had_ to be this way, Jack, because now she finally fuckin’ knows about it! There’s _more_ than enough evidence, now that I roped that son of a bitch and threw him to her like the criminal he is! I hope she throws that bastard in a cell!”

He sighed and shook his head. “You’re missin’ the point, Maddie.”

She leaned forward, holding up her knife. Her eyes seared into him as she demanded, “And what point is _that_ , Jack?”

He gave her an admonishing look. “You don’t go around stickin’ your nose in other people’s business, and you certainly don’t go around scarin’ people to make them respect you. Fear is only good when it matters, when it means life and death: that’s what keeps you goin’. You shouldn’t use fear all the time, especially when you’re lookin’ for respect.”

“Yeah, but it certainly works a lot of the time,” she rebuked as she returned the blade to the stone and continued sharpening it. “Besides, men won’t appreciate who I am. They won’t give me the respect I deserve if I’m goin’ around being an angel to people. That only makes you look weak.”

“Since when has bein’ nice ever been a weakness?”

The knife paused on the stone as she glared up at him. “Do you honestly think if I were nice to people they’d give me the sort of reverence of heroes past? I’ve tried bein’ nice, and it worked most of the time, but there were some men out there that just don’t give a good goddamn about that. They still treated me like a dumb little girl: Nathaniel is a perfect example of this. I’ve just decided that bein’ nice to people is my downfall. In any case, while people might not like me, they sure as hell will respect me, and I guess that’s all that matters in this world.”

“What kinda logic is that, Maddie?” Jack demanded as he sat up straight and tossed the book atop his things. “I liked you better and respected you more when you were nice to me. It certainly made bein’ in your presence all the more enjoyable. Now you’re just goin’ back to your usual bitchy self, and I sure as hell don’t like it.”

“What other choice to I have, Marston?” she thundered as she stabbed the dirt beside her bed roll. “Do you even realize how much harder I have to work to be up to par with men? You don’t understand! It’s hard being a woman; you men have it easy!”

“Like hell we do. You think I have an easy life? You think I’m better than you just because I’m a man? I’m in just as much of a hard time as you are, Maddie. Besides, what we do for a livin’ isn’t exactly a joy ride. We risk our lives every time we go after a bounty; that’s not somethin’ I’d consider to be an easy lifestyle. We risk our safety only for the hope of keepin’ others safe. I get that you’ve chosen a hard road. I do. And I get that you’re angry as hell.”

Maddie relaxed from her tensed stance. She pulled the knife out of the ground, wiped the blade clean on her pant leg, and sheathed it. “You do? How?”

“I’ve _always_ had to struggle to get respect from people. You think bein’ the son of a whore and an outlaw gives me any room to be proud? I was never given the privilege or the right to be given any sort of respect. Ask any man in Blackwater, or, hell, even Armadillo, and they’ll tell you I’m nothin’ but the outlaw trash I was born into. I grew up in a gang, Maddie. That’s not normal.”

Maddie’s gaze lowered to the ground. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Jack reached down and grabbed his father’s hat. He stared at it as he held it reverently in his hands, feeling a shameful frown tug at his mouth. “It’s not your fault that my heritage is complete shit. At least _you_ had a good start, bein’ the daughter of what I’d imagine were somewhat wealthy ranchers. I was born worthless, the lowest of the low.”

“That’s not true,” she said softly as she met gazes with him. “Look at you now. You’re blossomin’ like a flower, and you’ve grown so much in so little time. Your parents would be proud of you.”

“Yeah, but I still had to work my way up from the bottom, especially when I became who my parents didn’t want me to be.” He delicately placed the hat onto his head and tugged it down. “And you know what the real kicker is? They _tried_ to give me a better life, even quit the gang and started up a ranch, but I _still_ just fell right into step behind them. Now my parents are dead and all I’ve got left is an empty ranch that’s fallin’ apart. So don’t go tellin’ me my life is a damn breeze just because I’m a man.”

They stared at each other for a long moment. Jack looked away as he picked up _Hamlet_ and slipped his index finger in-between the pages right behind the feather; the itch to continue reading nipped at his hands.

“I know why you’re so angry, Maddie.”

“You do?”

“I know you let your anger get the best of you sometimes…well, most of the time, actually…but I understand why. When my pa died, all I thought about was revenge. I thought about it every day as Ma and I struggled on. But I _did_ get violent when Ma died three years later. I grew up quick, and I grew up mean. I had to: Ma could barely function, especially after she got sick, so I had to figure out how to take care of her, myself, and the ranch.” He sighed heavily, feeling his shoulders sag. “But it all just slipped outta my hands. The cattle were dyin’ from wolves and sickness, and I had to sell off the rest of the cattle to Bonnie when we got so damn destitute. Then I sold my horse, my big paint. That hurt quite a bit. But what broke me was when Ma died. I guess I just…let myself go then… I suppose I was tryin’ to get back at the world for everythin’ it had done to me.”

“And that’s when we met,” Maddie said. “You would’ve met the noose, had Bonnie and I not have stepped in.”

Jack looked up at her and grinned. “And thank God for that; otherwise, I’d probably be dead right now.” His gaze returned to the book once more. “But I understand why you’ve been so…”

“Bitchy?”

Jack laughed. “I guess that’s the word I was lookin’ for.” He demeanor returned to seriousness. “I get why you’re angry: you want revenge. I don’t know ‘bout your uncle, but I can tell that you two had a close bond. You had to have been close, because you wouldn’t be actin’ like this if you weren’t.”

Maddie frowned and looked down at her hands. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “Actually, no, we really weren’t that close. I mean, sure, Uncle Edgar did take care of me and Pa after Mama died, but he started to drift off and get back to his job. Bein’ a government official was important to him; he took his job seriously. We did talk quite a bit, though. I suppose I idolized him.” A small smile drifted across her lips, but it quickly faded as she added, “But towards the end there, we started drifting away. The last time I saw him, he had just retired. We talked for a bit, caught up and whatnot, but that was about it.” A sardonic scoff escaped her. “Last thing I said to him was, ‘See you when I see you’. Then, bang, four months later, I find out he’s dead.”

 _You came to idolize that man?_ Jack couldn’t help but think. He stared at her, looking empathetic on the outside but in a rage inside. He bowed his head and murmured, “I’m sorry, Maddie.” _After all the shit that man’s put me through, I come to find out that she idolized him. Huh. It’s no wonder she’s the way she is. Poor mixed up woman…If she only knew who he really was._

Her voice shook with anger as she said, “I just wish I could somehow find a way to figure out who killed him. I’ll torture that son of a bitch until he begs for death.”

Jack glanced up at her, eyes widening in surprise from the ferocity of her words and flip of emotion. “Not to drown your hopes, Maddie, but I think there’s a very slim chance at ever findin’ that out. Your pa said they could barely recognize him when they found him. And the trail—”

“Is fucking cold, I know!” She glared at him through the jumping flames of the campfire. Quite suddenly, the angelic glow that had previously showcased her became her hell-fire, casting black shadows on her face. “But that doesn’t mean I should just give up, Jack. I want to find the bastard and make him suffer for all the pain he’s caused me!”

“I don’t know what else to tell you, except I’m sorry.”

Maddie sighed haughtily and scowled at the fire. “This is bullshit.”

“I know, Maddie. I know. It’s terrible how much your vengeance takes hold of you. You feel like you’re about to go crazy over how much you obsess over the person who wronged you. I know. But you _can’t_ let it get to you, especially since we’re still out bounty hunting. Just do me a favor.”

She looked up at him through her eyelashes. “What?”

“Just don’t go chargin’ in next time guns a-blazin’ and screamin’ like you did last time. You keep that up and you’re bound to get yourself killed. You’ve gotta stop bein’ so—”

“Reckless?” She scoffed and smirked sarcastically. “But did you see the look on those guys’ faces?”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m serious, Maddie. Stop doin’ that shit. You’ll get yourself shot up if you keep pullin’ stunts like that. I don’t want to lose you, too.”

The bounty hunters stared at each other for a split second.

“What I meant to say is that I’ve lost my parents, and I don’t wanna—”

“It’s okay, Jack,” she reassured with a pleasant smile. “I get what you mean.”

Jack cleared his throat and hastily opened the book.

“You’re blushin’, Jack.”

“Shut up.”

“Is someone getting uncomfortable?”

“Hush it, I’m readin’.”

“What part are you at?”

Jack blinked and looked up at her. “Huh?”

“ _Hamlet_. What part are you at?”

“Oh, uh… Act One, Scene Three.”

“And do you like it so far?”

He nodded. “It was kinda hard gettin’ into, but I do.”

Maddie blinked. “I can’t believe you’re actually able to understand Shakespeare.”

He shot her an annoyed look out of the corner of his eye. “I’m not as dumb as you still take me for, miss. I used to read a lot when I was kid. Granted, gettin’ back into it is kinda challenging, especially when you’re over there buggin’ the hell outta me, but I _am_ enjoying this play.”

Her smile brightened. “Glad to hear it.” Abruptly, she rose from her bed roll and walked around the fire. She sat beside him and looked over his shoulder; her eyes scanned the pages of words, words, words. “Where are you at in Scene Three?”

Flinching at their sudden proximity, Jack blinked and looked up at her. She rested an elbow on his shoulder and pressed her weight against him as she leaned forward and searched the pages; her hair hung past her shoulders and blanketed his. He managed to point out where he’d left off without jumping out of his skin by her closeness.

“Ah, one of my favorite quotes!” she said. “ _‘This above all—to thine own self be true; And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not them be false to any man’_.” She shook his shoulder and beamed down at him. “See, Jack? Shakespeare tells it like it is, even if he’s been long dead. I follow that adage as best as I can.”

“I know you do,” Jack answered as he shrugged her off. “It gets mighty irritating, truth be told.”

She elbowed him in the side as she sat down beside him. “Oh, come off it, boy. You just can’t handle a strong-willed woman.”

“I can handle you, much less any other woman, for that matter. I survived livin’ under Ma’s roof, so I’d say I have a fightin’ chance.”

“Oh, that’s some bullshit if I’ve ever heard. You used to cower under Bonnie’s presence—hell, you _still_ do.”

He shook his head. “No, I don’t. Never did, never will. She doesn’t scare me, and neither do you.”

“You just admitted ten minutes ago that I unsettle you!” She lightly punched him on the shoulder to emphasize her point. When he flinched under her blow, she exclaimed, “A-HA! See? I told you so!”

He punched her back, though not as harshly. “You can’t prove a damn thing.”

A wicked gleam entered her eyes as she said, “Oh yeah?” She tackled him to the ground, pinned his hands down to the ground by the wrists, and pressed one knee onto his chest. “How do you like _that_ , Marston?”

Her victory was short-lived: he easily threw her off and pinned her down. Her hat bounced off her head and rolled to the side as she grunted and struggled to get out from underneath him.

Jack laughed and goaded, “And how do _you_ like _that_?”

“You bastard, get off me!”

“I thought you were a strong-willed woman, Maddie.”

“I said get off!”

He chuckled as he did as he was told, even holding out a hand to help her up. As he expected, she rose to her feet without his help, glaring up at him and his outstretched hand all the while. She dusted herself off, grumbling incoherent curses as she did so. She retrieved her hat and stomped over to the other side of the fire.

“I’ll get you back for that,” she hissed as she laid down in her bedroll. She set her hat down on the ground by the crown.

“Oh, now you’re just throwin’ a fit,” Jack laughed as he retrieved _Hamlet_ several feet away from his bedroll—it slipped out of his hands when Maddie tackled him. He blew on the pages and the cover and dusted it off before he settled back down into his blankets and searched for the spot where he’d left off.

“I am not,” she retorted as she rolled over and turned her back to him. Her dark hair blanketed the ground behind her.

“ _‘To thine own self be true’_.”

“Hush it, I’m sleepin’.”


	18. Carpe Diem

**Chapter Track** : “Will You Help Me?” – Hans Zimmer, _The Village_ soundtrack

 

“You’re not still mad at me, are you?”

Maddie glared at him out of the corner of her eye. She sighed through her nose as she looked back through the scope of her Carcano rifle and shifted her weight in the saddle. “Don’t you think you should be concentrating on the current task at hand, princess?” she asked as she drew back the bolt.

Jack chortled as he loaded his repeater. “I suppose so, but you still haven’t answered my question.” He looked around them at the dense woodlands of Tall Trees; they were well-hidden within nature’s bosom, and the advantages of stealth and surprise were at their disposal. It was still early morning, no later than seven o’clock, and the beautiful dawn held a majestic promise.

“And I’ll keep ignorin’ your question so long as you keep askin’ it.”

Jack smiled coyly at her. “This could go on all day, you know.”

“Indeed.” She scanned Tanner’s Reach four-hundred yards ahead of her and grinned. “Yup. Just as I thought: they’re all guardin’ him. Wade Basset’s inside. He knows we’re after him.” She shook her head. “What a coward.”

“Hey, you’d be in the same mind-set if you had two hundred and forty dollars on your head. How many men does he have?”

She looked through the scope. “Ten.”

“I’m surprised he doesn’t have more, with how much of a bounty he’s got.” Beneath him, Sundance shifted his weight from hoof to hoof, the muscles in his withers, legs, and rump rippling with the subtle movement. The palomino lowered his head, folded back his ears, and blew loudly in boredom. Beside the stallion, Maddie’s black mare cocked a concerned ear to her herd-mate, whickered reassuringly, and side-stepped closer to him. The horses brushed noses as their riders sat silently atop them. Jack noticed the equines speaking to one another and grinned; he leaned forward and affectionately petted his horse’s neck.

“Just wait ‘til we get to the last four, Marston,” Maddie said darkly as she lowered the gun and looked over at him. “This one will be a breeze compared to the last men we’ll need to bring in. _Then_ you have my permission to whine.”

“I ain’t whinin’, miss. I’m just makin’ an observation.”

She gave him a sassy smirk and shook her head. “I don’t hear the difference.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “Very funny, miss. I’m practically fallin’ outta the saddle laughin’.”

“You ready?” Maddie murmured, her tone taking on a more business-like fashion.

“Sure,” he replied and gathered the reins in his left hand. He held the repeater in his right, keeping it in place as he rested it across his lap. “Same plan as always, then?”

She looked at him as if he were the dumbest man on earth.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” he chortled as he reined Sundance around and nudged his sides. As he rode away, he could feel her gaze on his back.

“You’re a jerk, Jack Marston,” she affectionately called after him.

“And you’re a bitch, Maddie Ross,” he answered back over his shoulder as he and Sundance disappeared into the woods. He flinched inwardly as he said her last name, and once again, he felt his guilt rise from the grey ashes of his corrupt heart; the black phoenix rose once more, but he beat it back down into the dusty tomb of his heart and bade it stay there.

 _If I just keep on actin’ the way I am, she’ll never know_ , he reminded himself as he rode closer to his hiding spot, roughly two-hundred yards away from the rise that overlooked Tanner’s Reach. He stopped his horse behind a thicket of dense brush and dismounted swiftly, his hands taking up the repeater and his feet moving skillfully, silently forward. His body was in the now, but his mind was in the past. _If there’s a chance I can keep it all a secret…if there’s a way for me to keep her happy and make her forget it all, then everything will be all right._ He crouched down as he neared a tree adjacent to the overlook, and he slinked up to it and pressed his back against the rough bark.

Though he didn’t dare to look over his shoulder and chance a peek down below, he knew the gang members were ambling about the shed keeping guard-duty. Jack could sense their unwavering vigilance, but he smirked when he knew they’d be too stupid to look up where he stood hiding in plain sight. Even with all ten men keeping watch, Wade Basset would still fall prey to the law and would be taken in despite all his precautions. _The dumb bastard doesn’t know what’s comin’._ He gripped his repeater tightly and breathed in deeply through his nose. He exhaled through his mouth as he waited and listened for Maddie to take the first shot.

The seconds crept by; Jack shifted his weight from foot to foot. _C’mon, Maddie, what’s the hold-up?_ His ears strained and waited for the catalyst shot, so much so that all the other sounds around him became heightened. The sighing breeze as it blew through the trees, every crunch of snow as the men walked, every murmured syllable and phrase, was magnified.

A thunderous gunshot shattered the silence.

As anticipated, the men below panicked as they watched one of their own clutch at his chest and fall dead to the ground. Shouts of surprise and horror sounded off below Jack as he brought up his gun and leaned around his cover. He aimed and fired, shooting down the second of ten victims. Again, yelps and exclamations followed, the song of death loud and clear in the wilds of West Elizabeth.

Back and forth, Jack and Maddie exchanged times to fire, and by the time the men below had figured out where the sharp shooters were, they were all lying dead around the shack. Once he was sure it was safe, Jack forsake his cover and jogged down the side of the overlook towards the shack, where he could see Wade scrambling frantically within like a caged coyote in a chicken pen. As he neared the small building, Maddie came riding up to the homestead and dismounted twenty yards away. She slung her rifle over her shoulder and drew her right pistol.

The bounty hunters ran up to both sides of the door and pressed their backs against the building; they exchanged looks of bravery and camaraderie before returning their attention to the door between them.

“Wade Basset, we’re bringin’ you in!” Jack proclaimed.

“Come on out with your hands up or we’ll bust down the door!” Maddie added.

The man cowering within laughed raucously. “I ain’t goin’ nowhere! I know who you two pricks are; you don’t fuckin’ scare me! I’m NOT gonna be the next sum-bitch to be checked off your list ‘n’ thrown in a jail cell, no sir! You wanna try ‘n’ bring me in? Then you’re gonna have to do it by force, ‘cause I ain’t leavin’ here without a fight!”

Maddie rolled her eyes. “I figured as much,” she uttered to Jack. She directed her attention back to Wade as she shouted, “That’s quite a lot of bold talk comin’ from a man cowerin’ like a rabbit in his hole. The rattler is at your door, so just give it up! I’m gonna give you ten seconds to rethink that statement before we rethink it for you.”

“Shut yer yap, ya little bitch!” Basset hollered back. The loud click of a firearm being loaded sounded from the other side of the door. “I ain’t listenin’ to the likes of you, Maddie Ross! Yeah, I know who you are. You’re just like your uncle, a nasty sum-bitch who enjoys killin’ people like me. Well I got news for you, you trigger-happy whore: you don’t scare me, ‘n’ I ain’t listenin’ to your orders!”

Maddie bristled with rage. She gripped her pistol tightly and whispered, “Oh, this fucker’s just _askin’_ for it…”

“Stay calm,” Jack advised softly, keeping his voice low enough so that only she could hear.

“I _am_ calm,” she snapped back before calling out, “Last chance, Wade! It’s your funeral, mister. We can do this the easier and safer way, or we could do it the more reckless and dangerous way. Trust me when I say that it would be much easier on all of us if you just—”

_“GO TO HELL!”_

Maddie sighed haughtily and glared at the door, cocking her head slightly to the side in outrage at the man who dared speak to her in such a way. “Alright, then,” she finalized ominously and took a step back.

Before Jack could interject, she kicked open the door.

Two loud gunshots sounded, and before he could realize what had happened, Jack was lying flat on his back on the ground in a red-hot abyss of excruciation. His left collarbone and shoulder screamed at him; all he felt, all he saw, all he knew, was a blazing, all-enshrouding pain. He lay gasping in shock, anger, and agony on the ground before the threshold of the building.

“JACK!”

Through his fog of torture, he heard a scream of rage, two more gunshots, wails of agony, the thwack of metal striking against flesh, the sickening wet sound of a knife penetrating skin, and the thump of two bodies collapsing to the ground. He desperately tried to raise his head to see what was happening without him, but inexplicably, his head became terribly heavy, and as the darkness mercilessly took him, the world around him faded into oblivion.

 

*             *             *

 

Pain. A shocking, powerful surge of excruciation. It throbbed and seared; it burned and raged. His breath came in ragged gasps; the sudden emergence from unconsciousness was sickeningly unfair to him. The cruelty of his pain outmatched what he’d felt before.

He was lying on his back, and when he could finally force his eyes open from grimacing and scowling from the intensity of his agony, he was staring up at the shambled roof of Tanner’s Reach. Confused, he tried to sit up and look about. The flare of mindless pain and the gentle pushing of a feminine hand on his chest bade him to lay back down. Jack groaned in agony and sucked in air through clenched teeth.

“Easy, Jack. Just take it easy for a while.”

He strained to focus in front of him, and when his eyes adjusted, he saw Maddie leaning over him, her hair tumbling down her neck and shoulders and a look of deep concern enveloping her beautiful features.

“How are you feeling?” she murmured. Her hand suddenly caressed the side of his face, and if it weren’t for the fact that he was in so much pain, he would’ve felt surprised.

Jack moaned in agony as a stab of fresh, eye-crossing pain shot out from the upper left corner of his torso. His collarbone was enwreathed in flame; it hurt like hell-fire to breathe. “My arm…It’s on fire…” As he lay prone on his cot, he gasped, “What happened?”

“You got shot. Twice.”

“No shit!” he snapped and smacked her hand off his face with his right hand. _“What fucking happened?”_

Maddie grew just as angry as she exclaimed, “ _I don’t fuckin’ know!_ I got pissed off at the asshole in here, and so when I kicked in the door, you got shot down. He had another man in here with a repeater, and it’s a goddamn wonder you’re alive, Marston. The bullet barely missed your heart, but it sure as hell battered you up some. As far as I know, the bullets went clean through, but they did some pretty nasty damage. Almost tore up your collarbone and I’m pretty sure one of your ribs is broken.” She held out a flask to him and offered, “Here. Drink this. It’s all I can give to you to ease the pain.”

Livid, he snatched it up with his right hand and lifted his head well enough to take a sip. He gasped as the whiskey burned down his throat, but he welcomed the tickle of pain in comparison to the roaring flame of excruciation that overtook his left side. Within three gulps, he’d downed the alcohol and tossed the empty flask to the side.

Maddie watched it clank loudly to the floor behind her before she turned back to him and scowled down at him. “Was that really necessary, Jack?”

“Fuck off.”

Her eyebrows rose in surprise and rising anger. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

Her hand rose up and prepared to strike the side of his face. “Hey, you should be fucking thanking me! I saved your life! If it wasn’t for me takin’ care of those men and stitchin’ you up, you’d be dead. Be thankful you’ve got a gal who knows how to treat such nasty wounds!”

“This comin’ from the one who got me shot in the first place! I mean, what the hell were you thinkin’, rushin’ in like that? You _knew_ he had a gun, Maddie! Christ, it’s like you let your anger take over you all the time.”

 _“This comin’ from the man who knows nothing but anger and who’s first instinct is to be angry!”_ Her hand still hovered above him, threatening to back-hand him, but it never carried out its vengeful intentions. “I saved your ass, you little prick, and you show me nothin’ but disrespect! How _dare_ you, Jack! Just because you’re in a lot of pain doesn’t give you the right to lash out at me. I can put you in a _world_ of hurt if you keep that shit up. If I were you, I’d calm the hell down and show me some fuckin’ gratitude. You understand me?”

Jack closed his eyes and sighed through gritted teeth. His temper was only exacerbating his misery, and he wished the meager amount of alcohol he chugged would kick in.

“I said, _do you understand me?”_

“Yes, goddamn it!” he hollered as he opened his eyes and met gazes with her. Their eyes matched frequencies of rage. Jack looked away and scanned the room. Nearby, Wade Basset was lying deathly still with his hands tied behind his back. Beside the bounty, his companion lay in a puddle of his own blood with a gaping neck wound glistening in the afternoon light that seeped in from the dirty windows. A Winchester repeater lay in the blood beside its dead owner. Jack nodded to the two men and asked, “So is Wade dead, then? Did you shoot him too?”

Maddie shook her head and dropped her arm back down to her side. “No. I shot him in the leg and knocked him out the second I could, right before I killed the man who shot you.” She looked down to her duster and vest with disgust, and it was only then that Jack realized just how much blood there was on her clothes. “He shot you, so I shot him in the chest and stabbed him in the neck. Then after _he_ was dealt with, I tied Wade up and came over to you and saw you had passed out, and I knew I had to fix you up quick before you bled out.” She shook her head in bewilderment. “ _My God_ , you were bleedin’ all over, Jack. It’s a wonder you’re alive. You’re one lucky son of a bitch.”

Jack stared reverently up at her. “You…you patched me up?”

“Yes, stupid.” She nodded down to his chest. “Look at your stitches.”

Weakly, he raised his head and looked down at his chest. “Um, Maddie…?”

“Yes?”

“Where’s my shirt?”

An amused smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth. She jerked a thumb back behind her at their belongings that she’d hastily thrown into a corner of the shack. “It’s over there. Why?”

He blinked and felt his face burn up. “I need it.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “It’s real bloody, princess. We’ll get you another one when we bring Wade into—”

“And just why am I shirtless?”

“You got shot, and I had to stitch you up.”

“So you…took my shirt off while I was out?”

She nodded. “And fixed you up.”

He fidgeted uncomfortably atop his cot and winced as the pain spiked unbearably.

“What, would you rather have it I left your shirt on and let you bleed out?” She laughed and shook her head. “Jesus, Jack, it’s not like I was tryin’ to do anything while you were unconscious.”

His eyes widened, and he stammered, “I-I wasn’t m-meanin’ anything like that, Maddie. I—”

She cut him off with boisterous laughter. She lightly smacked his arm with the back of her hand and said, “I’m just fuckin’ with you, you prude bastard. Calm down.” She stood up and headed for the door.

“Where are you goin’?” Jack called after her. He tried to sit up but it was absolute hell to do so. Sighing with frustration, he lay there prone and helpless as he watched her storm away.

“Goin’ to get your horse,” she answered as she mounted Gypsy and gathered the reins.

“Hey, Maddie?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks…Thanks for stitching me up.”

She gave him a soft smile. “You’re welcome.” She spun Gypsy around and spurred her forward, vanishing quickly into the wild.

Groaning, Jack ran his right hand over his face. His wounds still burnt and screamed, and he did his best not to move as much as he tucked his chin down to look at his injuries. He was surprised to find that Maddie had sewed him back up rather well: the stitches were skillfully executed like a doctor’s handiwork. _She must’ve had to patch herself up a lot to have become this good_. He looked at the spot where Maddie had disappeared. _She’s one hell of a woman._ He shook his head and once again felt a warm swell of affection for her in his chest. Briefly, it anesthetized the pain in his collarbone and shoulder, simmering it down to a dull throb. _I can’t believe she just took my shirt off and patched me up like that…_

His thoughts were abruptly ended as Maddie rode up to the shack leading Sundance. She stopped the horses right outside the front door and dismounted. “Marston, you feelin’ all right?” she asked as she stepped inside and looked him over.

“Yeah.”

“You don’t look so well,” she noted softly with a pitiful shake of her head. Her long hair, tangled slightly from the fiasco from earlier, swayed from side to side across her chest; she tossed her tresses back behind her shoulders and frowned. “Do you think you can ride, or should we even risk it?”

“Hell, I don’t know.”

“Well, can you sit up at least?” She sat down on the edge of the cot beside him, her hair swaying back around to cover her chest once more. “Do you need help?”

“We’ll see,” Jack groaned. Mentally preparing himself for the onslaught of pain, he tensed up his muscles and tried to sit up. He cried out in agony when the pain in his collarbone blazed and stabbed at him, and he laid back down, gasping and groaning. “Son of a bitch!” His chest rose and fell as he took in short, ragged breaths.

“Maybe I should just take the bounty into Blackwater myself,” Maddie said. “I’ll bring back a doctor for you. It’ll save you the pain and trouble of tryin’ to get on your horse.”

“No.”

She gave him a firm look. “Jack, you can’t even sit up. Don’t worry about not goin’ with me.”

“No. I can do it. This isn’t gonna do me in. I won’t let it.”

“You’re one stubborn jackass, you know that?”

He gave a small chuckle. “I know, but I figure we can just go into town, throw Wade in jail, and then go get a room at the saloon. It would save you from takin’ two trips, and your horse won’t be as worn out.”

She shook her head and snorted with amusement. “You’re not gonna let me win this, are you?”

He gave her a small grin. “Hell no.”

She rolled her eyes and sighed. “Fine. We’ll go to town together, but I don’t wanna hear any whinin’ from you. Alright?”

Jack laughed. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll be sure to just keep my mouth shut.”

“That’s what I like to hear. Now…” She stood up and offered him a hand. “Let’s get you on your feet.”

He scowled at her open hand as he tried to sit back up. As he expected, the pain reached an unbearable height as he was half-way up, and just before he was about to fall back, Maddie took his right hand in her left and steadied him with her other hand on his back.

“Easy does it, Jack. Take this one step at a time.”

“I know, I know,” he griped in-between gasps of pain. He paused to let the pain die back down before he swung his legs out and planted his boots down on the floor.

“You ready?”

He nodded despite the fact his face was scrunched up in agony. Together, they stood. Maddie’s hand never left his back or let go of his hand; she kept a fierce vigilance over his well-being as he stood there panting through the wave of excruciation. After a moment, they walked to the door and paused at the threshold.

“Umm…Maddie?”

“What?”

“I’m still shirtless.”

“Oh…Right.”

She rushed to their bags and rummaged through his. She returned with a dark-brown shirt from his second set of clothes she had packed for him. “Here,” she said as she held it out to him. “So you won’t have to ride into town half-naked.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her as he took the shirt from her outstretched hand. Just before he was about to shrug it on, she stepped closer to him and held up a hand to stop him.

“Wait a second,” she said. “Maybe I should help you.”

 He frowned and stepped away from her. “I’m not a baby, miss. I can dress myself.”

“With that arm of yours? I don’t think so, mister.”

“Maddie, please, I’m fine,” he growled as he slipped his left arm through the left sleeve. He grimaced as he reached back around him and put his right arm in the other sleeve, and when he struggled to put the rest of his shirt on, Maddie came forward and helped him out.

“Oh, you and your pride,” she grumbled and rolled her eyes. She gently tugged the shirt up and onto him properly before she began buttoning it up. Her nimble fingers worked quickly, and before Jack knew it, she was putting his duster on him.

Fed up with it, he sighed and snatched up her left wrist with his right hand. Looking her deep in the eyes, he stated, “Maddie, enough. This is ridiculous. I’m a grown man and can dress myself, thanks.”

“But you’re hurt,” she reasoned and tried to tug her wrist out of his grasp. “Besides, it’s the least I can do since I’m the one who got you shot in the first place.”

He didn’t know how to respond to her honesty and tenderness as he stared back at her. His eyes searched hers, and he found himself entranced by the ocean of affection and solicitude he discovered in them. Her brown ovals glistened with such strong emotion, and all at once, he felt himself being drawn in closer to her. He didn’t know it, but he took a step closer to her and slid his hand into hers, gripping it tenderly.

He stared at her. She stared at him. Time froze in place just for the two to seize the moment of opportunity.

“Hey! You gonna screw her or just stand there lookin’ at her all day?”

Maddie and Jack flinched and looked over at Wade Basset, who was now sitting up in his spot on the floor, with one eyebrow raised coyly as he watched the romance unfold before him. He chuckled and beckoned them on with a rambunctious nod. “Go on, boy. Get to it.”

Jack grew livid in an instant. “Shut your mouth, you rotten son of a bitch!”

The bounty threw his head back and laughed. “I’m just sayin’, boy. You were half-way there, with your shirt off and all. Why stop now?”

Before he could stop her, Maddie charged up to the man and punched him in the face, throwing him off balance and sending him crashing back down the floor. She knelt before him, grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, and hissed, “You say one more word and I’ll bash your face in!”

“With them puny fuckin’ fists of yours? Who do you think you are, you little—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Maddie had knocked him out cold with another strong blow. She let his head drop to the floor as she let go of his shirt, and still in considerable amount of rage, she stood up and kicked him harshly in the stomach before going over to the corner of the building and hefting up both hers and Jack’s bags. Fuming, she walked back to Jack and was about to pass him by and join the horses when he snatched her by the wrist once more and held her back.

“Maddie?”

Her cold visage melted as she looked into his eyes.

“Thank you for that.”

“Any time. I enjoyed punchin’ that maggot in the face again.”

With a chuckle, Jack followed her outside.

 

*             *             *

 

It was around two o’clock by the time the two rode into town with the bounty in tow; they disposed of him at the police station and got paid before heading over to the doctor’s office. The man looked Jack over and commended Maddie for her surgical skills, despite his lack of faith in her sex and his dislike of her attire. Both bounty hunters could tell the doctor wasn’t accustomed to having a strong-willed woman in his office, but it couldn’t be helped as he looked after his patient and gave him medicine to ease his pain. The second the man finished with him, Jack paid the man and hastily left with Maddie on his heels. As they mounted back up, Maddie glared at the man through the windows. Jack could tell she was refraining from giving the man an obscene hand gesture, so he hastily recommended that they retire their horses to the livery and rent a room at the saloon.

Not a word was spoken between the two as they settled into their room for the night and tossed their duffel bags down at the foot of their beds. Though the silence was painful and overwhelming, neither wished to break it, for they were so wrapped up in each other’s thoughts that they didn’t notice how quiet the room was. It was only when they both realized simultaneously that they didn’t have much else to do that they looked up at each other.

“You wanna have a drink or two with me?” Maddie offered. She grabbed a handful of cash from her satchel, folded it in half, and stuffed it into one of the inner pockets of her duster. “First round’s on me for gettin’ you shot.”

Jack laughed as he tossed his repeater onto his bed. “Sounds fair to me, but only if I get the next one since you patched me up.”

She smirked and nodded in acceptance. “You’ve got a deal, mister.” She beckoned him with a wave of her hand. “C’mon, Jack. Let’s get you drunk.”

The bounty hunters shared a hearty laugh as they left their room and closed the door quietly after them.


	19. Investigations

The muffled murmurs of men and the muted song of the piano from downstairs were the first sounds Jack recognized as his senses came back to him one by one. He awoke beneath the bed sheets, lying on his back with his head tilted slightly to the right. His eyes slowly opened, and he blinked several times in confusion when all he saw was blackness. Befuddled, he rolled over onto his side and looked around the rented room of the Blackwater saloon.

His boots were haphazardly laying by his bedside, as well as his duster, hat, and bags. He hazily recalled the night before, drinking shots of whiskey until he lost count and stumbling up the stairs with Maddie’s help. He couldn’t remember if she also helped him undress. _I sure as hell hope not_ , he thought as he looked across the room over to Maddie’s bed. He grew worried when he saw it hadn’t been touched; all her belongings were neatly sitting by her bed, her hat sitting atop the sheets by the crown. _Wonder where she is._ He glanced around the room and found a clock hanging on the wall. It read one-thirty. With a grunt, he sat up, wincing as the pain in his left shoulder and collarbone reemerged with a vicious vengeance. He sucked in air through gritted teeth and glared at his injuries with hate before rising out of bed and slipping on his boots.

He wandered down the hall, half-stumbling half-shuffling from his exhaustion. He was mostly recovered from his hang-over; he ran a hand over his face and through his hair as he remembered slipping in and out of sleep throughout the day, lying in bed in misery with a pounding migraine and a flaring, stabbing pain in his shoulder. Twice, he threw up in the bucket Maddie had sat beside his bed.

Jack slowly descended the stairs and looked about the saloon. There were a few local drunks still lingering about; the bartender stood behind the counter looking bored and tired. Jack ambled up to the man and inquired about the whereabouts of his friend, and the man pointed outside to the patio. Thanking the man, he walked outside and found her sitting at one of the many empty poker tables.

Her back was turned to him as she sat smoking a cigar. On the table, beside her left forearm, a stack of file folders was lying open and spread out before her.

Quietly, he strolled over and sat down beside her. He took his time easing down to not jostle his shoulder and cause himself further pain. Once he was comfortable, he looked her over and asked, “What are you doin’ out here alone? It’s awful late.”

She stared off into the dark, a twisted frown of pain and frustration crossing her pursed lips. She lifted the cigar to her lips and a long puff. She glanced down at the file folder as she let out the smoke in a long, exasperated exhale. “I thought I’d sit out here and think for a bit. Besides, you were asleep, and I didn’t wanna disturb you.”

He smiled appreciatively at her as he reached up and touched her shoulder. “You doin’ all right?”

She shook her head, her long hair swishing across her chest. She took another puff of her cigar before answering, “No. I’m still just as clueless as the day I learned Uncle Edgar died. It doesn’t make any sense, Jack…I mean, there’s hardly any mention of your pa helping my uncle out. There _are_ records of my uncle _supposedly_ bringin’ in all your pa’s former gang members, and…your pa’s name is also on that list. But here’s what I don’t understand: if what you say is true, then the government has no record of it, or if any exists, I wasn’t able to get my hands on it.” She shook her head again; her eyebrows narrowed over her darkening eyes. The flame of revenge and the hunger for the truth burned within them. “ _This doesn’t make any sense!_ Why would a file tell me so little? Why are there so many holes? And why wouldn’t my uncle file a report for what your father had done? As far as I know, _John_ did the work. Did my uncle just stand by and let your pa do it for him? Maybe Archer was right…maybe my uncle really _was_ a bitter old man.”

Jack bit down on his lip to refrain himself from commenting.

“There’s not a lot I dug up today, and as far as your story goes, Jack, Fordham backs it up. Your father _did_ do everything you said he did. Archer and I discussed this today; he told me everything you’ve said.”

“Hmm.”

“Archer told me he respected your pa after all was said and done, and he said he refused to go with my uncle when…” She trailed off and looked to the side. “But he said John was a good man. Edgar apparently didn’t see him that way. And…there was a look in his eyes…It was strange, really.”

Jack swallowed down his rising fear. He recognized Fordham as Ross’ former partner. “Oh, yeah? What sort of look?”

Maddie shook her head and narrowed her eyes in skeptical reflection. “He knows somethin'…somethin’ he won’t tell me. I should’ve pressed further on the matter, but I didn’t, ‘cause I didn’t think too much of it at the time. But there was _something_ in his eyes that made me uneasy. I don’t know.” She blinked away her mysticism as she lifted her cigar up to her lips. “It was just a feeling, though, so I guess it’s nothin’, but still…” She puffed on the cigar and exhaled softly. Her frown deepened as the rekindled flame of determination lit up her eyes. “There’s somethin’ missing in this particular puzzle, some secret that isn’t being surfaced, and I’m determined to find that out, even if it takes me months, _years_ even. My uncle _couldn’t_ have taken credit for what your pa did. He just _couldn’t_.”

Jack rolled his eyes and murmured to himself, “Yeah, well, that’s the law for ya.”

“What did you say?”

“Nothin’,” he said, averting her gaze. He cleared his throat. “So, uh…did you get anything else from Fordham today, besides what you just said?”

“Not really. Just records of all the criminals he’s brought in, all the deeds he’s done over the years, and all the metals and rewards he’s been given…all the way up to his retirement. Then the records just stop. There’s nothin’ after that, except his death certificate and where the authorities found his body.” She scoffed. “It’s frustrating to say the least.” She was silent for a time, looking as if she were struggling with something on her mind.

“Do you think Wade Basset’s right, ‘bout me and my uncle?” she questioned quietly, almost too soft for him to hear. Pain and doubt littered her words. “What if it’s all true? I mean, I’m findin’ it hard to believe this, that everything I’ve come to know about my uncle is a lie. This whole thing…it’s just one confusing thing after another.”

He played the ignorant fool and half-shrugged, keeping his left shoulder immobile for fear of setting off again a stab of pain. “Don’t know. I never knew your uncle, so it’s hard-tellin’ if you’re like him. But I bet if I had to take a wild guess, I’d say you’re better than him. You’re young, you’re smart, and you’re good at what you do. I’d be hard-pressed to find a woman like you anywhere else.”

Despite his appraising comments, Maddie looked over at him with a scrutinizing expression, her brow furrowing. She bit her lip before asking, “You weren’t involved with Edgar at all…were you?”

Jack froze and stared at her. He swallowed thickly.

“‘Cause your pa worked with my uncle and did his job for him—which sickens me, really—but I’m askin’ you if you’ve ever had any affiliations with him. You never mentioned whether or not you had any sort of acquaintance with him…Did you?”

“Like I said, I never knew your uncle, Madeline. And Pa never really told me what all he did for him, ‘cept to go after Bill, Javier, and Dutch. The only time I ever really saw the man was when he ordered his men to take me and Ma and lock us up here in Blackwater. He kept us hidden away from Pa; he used us to gain leverage over my father, and it worked.”

Maddie’s eyes widened. _“He did that?”_

Jack nodded curtly and scowled down at his boots. “Yup.”

Silence crept its way between the two bounty hunters. Maddie puffed on her cigar, unable to look at him. Jack could barely stand to be in her presence; he wanted to flee, yet he was compelled to sit beside her out of the kindness of his heart and concern for her well-being. He was about to ask how she was fairing when she beat him to it.

She nodded to his shoulder. “How’s your arm? You feelin’ any better?”

He chuckled slightly and shook his head. “It still hurts like hell, but I’m fine. I’ll live.” He scoffed and ran a hand over his face. “I’m never drinkin’ again.”

Maddie snorted through her nose and grinned. “Yeah, that’s what everyone says. Before you know it, you’ll be guzzlin’ down a pint of the darkest beer they’ve got in there.”

He swallowed down the bile that threatened to rise in his throat. He wrapped his right arm around his stomach, wincing at how sore his abdominal and back muscles were from throwing up earlier. “No, I’m _never_ doin’ that again. Not in a million years.”

She gently elbowed his side. “Oh, hush it. You’re a drinker, Marston, and you know. Shit, the way you were handlin’ them shots of whiskey last night makes me all the more positive about that theory.”

“Yeah, but it sure as hell didn’t help me out this morning.” He moaned in disgust and discomfort. “Hell, I’m _finally_ startin’ to feel better after lyin’ in bed almost all day.”

Maddie smirked apologetically and draped her left arm over his right shoulder. “I’m sorry, Jack. I wasn’t tryin’ to make you miserable. I just thought you’d be temporarily relieved of all the pain. Getting shot in the collarbone, much less in the shoulder, isn’t the most pleasant thing to experience.”

He looked into her eyes. “Well, as much as I appreciate the sentiment, I’d rather you not try and get me drunk every time I get shot, alright?”

She nodded. “Duly noted, Marston. Hopefully, there won’t be a next time—I don’t want you gettin’ shot up like this ever again.”

“Yeah, me, too. This just sucks.”

She shook him gently. “Oh, quit your whinin’. And here I thought you were bein’ such a big boy. Hell, I’ve been through worse. This one time I was out in Gaptooth Reach, and there I was in the middle of a shoot-out down in the mines, and I got shot up worse than a quail during open season. I took on those sorry sons-a-bitches head-on and gunned ‘em all down. I had shot the bounty, unfortunately, but I got three hundred dollars that day. I took a lot of pain and buck-shots to get that wad of cash, but I did it.”

Jack laughed openly and threw his head back. “Was it late in the saloon when you heard that one? Who’d you steal that tall tale from?”

She grinned widely and shoved her face into his. “Contrary to your popular belief, not all tales in a saloon are lies. I’ve got the scars to prove it.”

“Bullshit.”

She stared him down for a solid second before guffawing and leaning away. “Alright, you got me. I made that up.”

“That’s what I thought.”

Maddie laughed softly before asking, “So what _did_ you do all day besides lay in bed and feel sorry for yourself?”

He shot her a cross look. “I read the rest of _Hamlet_ and…well…”

“Yes?” She scooted closer to him, growing intrigued.

“Um…Nothing.”

“C’mon, tell me.”

“No.”

“Tell me!”

“I, uh…I started writin’ in that journal you gave me.”

Maddie’s face lit up. “Really?”

Jack felt his cheeks burn; he rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand. “Yeah…”

“Can I read it?”

He blinked and looked up at her. “What?”

“ _Can I read it?_ ”

“Why?”

“I wanna see what kind of writer you are.”

He narrowed his eyes. “You just wanna poke fun at me.”

She shook her head, honesty gracing her features. “It’s not like that at all, Jack.”

His heart skipped a beat when she leaned in against him. He felt her breath on his cheek and her weight against his chest.

“So?”

His heart hammered away at his chest. “S-so what?”

“Will you let me read your journal?”

He bit down on his lip and looked to the side in indecision. In truth, he had just barely tapped the surface of his childhood dream; he knew what he’d scribbled down that afternoon was absolute trash, but it was a start…a shaky and cumbersome one, but a start nonetheless. _There’s so much work for me to do_ , he realized. _I’ve barely gotten the kinks worked out: how does she expect me to just let her read my shitty writing?_ He looked her in the eyes and shook his head.

“It’s not the sort of magical adventure you’re makin’ it out to be.”

“Oh, you’re just bein’ modest. I’m sure you’re—”

“No, Maddie. I’ve just started, and I’m not about to show you what little progress I’ve made…well, if you could call it progress.”

She stared him down. “You can’t be serious, Jack. Why are you bein’ a stubborn ass?”

He tucked an unruly strand of her hair back behind her ear. “Because I am. You should know that by now, Maddie. Give it time and I just might let you read it, alright? But first, I gotta write somethin’ worth readin’ before I can just show it to you.”

Her face fell slightly, and she sagged in her seat against him. “There really is no winnin’ with you, is there?”

“Hell no.”

She sighed and leaned away from him. “Fine.”

He touched the side of her face with his fingertips. “Oh, stop bein’ such a little brat. Look at you, little missy, all pouty and pissed off. It’s cute, really.”

She leaned her face away from his caress and shot him a warning glare. “Shut it, Marston. I am _not_ cute.” Haughtily, she puffed on her cigar and enshrouded herself with the smoke when she blew it out of her mouth. “Ya jerk.”

“Ya bitch,” he shot back with a smirk. “So besides talkin’ to that Fordham guy, what all did _you_ do today?”

Maddie laughed softly and puffed on her cigar once more. By now, it had shrunk into a pitiful stump; she looked at it with a sad frown. She took one last long puff, blew out the smoke, and ground it out on the edge of the chair before tossing it aside. “Not much, really. Took Gypsy for a quick ride and visited Mama’s grave again.”

“Your pa wasn’t there again, was he?”

She shook her head. “I was glad he wasn’t. It’s bad enough seein’ him on the off-chance I’m in Blackwater more than a couple of days. I’m glad he hasn’t sought me out like I thought he would.”

“Really? I would’ve thought losin’ your uncle would bring you two together.”

“Hell no. I don’t want that. I hate him.”

“C’mon, Madeline. You don’t mean that. He’s your _father_. He’s all you got left. You should try to make peace with him before he’s…gone.”

“I sometimes wish I could, Jack, but every time I try, it’s just too painful. I take two steps forward, only to jump a mile back. Besides, what he did and didn’t do, how he treated my mother…I just can’t.”

“That’s in the past, Maddie. You can’t keep lookin’ back: it’ll only keep you there and make your life a living hell. Trust me, it’s tough lookin’ back on your life and wishin’ things were different. I know. You want more than anything to have the life you’ve once had; you’d give _anything_ to have it back, but that’s not how it works, unfortunately. So, you just keep goin’, and you make it work.”

She looked at him incredulously. “What do you think I’ve been doin’ the past five years? Why do you think I became a bounty hunter in the first place? Besides, it wasn’t just an accident, what happened to my mother.”

Jack blinked. “What do you mean?”

“Things happen for a reason, Jack, and losin’ her made me a stronger, better woman. It made me realize the life she had wasn’t the one I wanted to live. She taught me love and sacrifice, and she wanted somethin’ better for me. Even in death, she makes me realize this. She betters my path.”

“I’ve never heard of someone lookin’ at death like that before.” He stared off into space, pondering on her perspective.

“How else do I explain it?” she asked, turning up her palms and shrugging. She let her hands drop back down to her lap. “I wouldn’t necessarily call it “God’s will”, nor would I call it some sort of “divine conspiracy”, just… _Fate_.” She nodded to him and added, “What happened to you was Fate, I believe. Losin’ your parents made you lose yourself, but I think that in the end, it’s worked out for you. It sure beat you up to hell, no doubt, but I think it’s worked for you nonetheless. You came out of it beautifully.”

He scoffed and shook his head. “I don’t really think so. I killed fourteen people, Maddie. I don’t think that’s somethin’ to celebrate over and call “fate”.”

She scooted closer to him and rested her hand over top his. “I’m not sayin’ death should be celebrated; by no means do I mean that. I’m just sayin’ things happen for a reason, and Fate sure as hell intervened when you went off the deep end, so to speak. It set you back on the right track, albeit in a rather cumbersome way, but look at where you are now. Celebrate _that_ fact.”

Jack rotated his wrist so that he could clasp hands with her. He looked into her eyes and smiled softly. “Ya know, for bein’ so young, you’re wise beyond your years, Maddie.”

She shrugged nonchalantly, as if the tragedies of her past were trifling matters. “The things I’ve gone through and experienced, the hardships that life’s thrown at me, is what made me that way. I guess I’m old on the inside.”

Jack chuckled and nodded in agreement. “Well said, miss. Speakin’ of hardships…how’s Bonnie doin’? Did you get a hold of her?”

Maddie’s gaze drooped down to her hands, and she sighed egregiously. “She’s…broken.”

“I figured as much.” He shook his head. “Poor woman…And what about Nathaniel? Is he outta her life yet?”

“Yes. Drew threw him out the second he was stitched up by the doctor. Told him to get the hell gone and never come back, or else he’d shoot him down on the spot. I’m surprised he didn’t kill his ex-son-in-law right then and there. I would’ve if I were him.”

“Me, too,” Jack murmured darkly. “I would’ve gladly shot that son of a bitch down myself.”

She looked him over with a studious look and cocked an eyebrow. “I thought you were against gettin’ into Bonnie’s affairs.”

“Well, yeah, I am, but that bastard broke her heart, and to me, what he did is unacceptable. She’s like family to me: to see and hear her bein’ so upset just…It makes me want to…”

“Become an outlaw?”

Jack nodded and looked into his friend’s shimmering brown eyes. They mirrored how he felt.

“I know what you mean, Jack. Believe me, I want nothin’ more than to finish what I started with him…but I can’t.” She sighed again, her shoulders sagging from the gravity of her emotions, and she leaned against her companion for comfort. She shook her head. “This is all just terrible. I’m constantly surprised at how things can go to hell so quickly.”

Jack grinned sardonically as he wrapped his arm over her shoulders. “That tends to happen around us a lot, doesn’t it? Do you think Bonnie will be all right?”

She shrugged. “She’s a strong woman, but we can only wait and see. Time will tell if she’s gonna make it through this.” She nudged his side with her elbow. “We should go see her.”

“Of course.”

“But maybe we shouldn’t, since she’s still mad at me. She was so pissed when I called, and she ranted and raved at me over that contraption as if she were standin’ right in front of me. I kept sayin’ how sorry I was, but I guess it didn’t get into her head, ‘cause she was still hollerin’ and cussin’ up a storm when I hung up. I _tried_ bein’ nice to her, but you can imagine how quickly that plan fell apart.” She scoffed and cuddled closer to him. “I’ll bet you any kind of money she’ll bitch me out the second we ride up to her ranch.”

Jack shrugged. “Dunno, Maddie. Maybe she will, maybe she won’t. In any case, we should still go see her soon.”

Maddie shrunk deeper into him, looking like a spooked filly and seeking comfort in a fellow herd-mate. “Alright, then…but only after we get done with this job. We’ve only got four men left, so it shouldn’t take us too long. Although…”

He looked down at her. “Although?”

She leaned up and away from him to look timidly at his left arm. She looked from his injury to his eyes and back as she explained, “You should take it easy, with that shoulder of yours. I don’t want you rippin’ your stitches out.”

He sat up in his seat and shook his head adamantly. “Hell no. I’m not stayin’ here any longer. I’m sick of layin’ around not doing anything.”

She turned and faced him fully. “But you’re in no shape to be ridin’ around, much less goin’ after criminals.”

“I won’t stay here another day. I’ll take the long shots this time, and you ride up and get the bounty.”

Maddie frowned at him. “You _do_ remember how well that worked last time, right?”

“I know. I’ll just have to tie Sundance up somewhere and take the shots on the ground. It’ll be fine, Maddie. We’ll make it work out one way or another.”

She frowned with indecision. “I suppose so…but still, Jack…” She locked eyes with him. “If you rip your stitches out, you’ll be in a world of pain and it’ll take you that much longer to heal up.”

“I know, but I’d rather be productive than sit around here.”

“I suppose so,” she murmured and rested her head back on his shoulder. “Then we’ll leave first thing tomorrow mornin’.”

He grinned as he looked down at her. “Sounds good, miss.”


	20. On Borrowed Time

Jack was wide awake before the world was even stirring; he sat up, anxious and wanting to get a move-on. _It’s best I get the hell outta here and finish with my job_ , he thought as he swung his legs out from under the bed sheets and set his feet on the cold wooden floor. The room was black; he felt around for his boots, duster, and hat at the foot of his bed and dressed in the dark. He dressed slowly and carefully due to the fresh waves of pain that afflicted his shoulder and collarbone. Within a short while, he was fumbling around for a lamp. His hand brushed against glass and a wooden box. He dug into the box, retrieved a match, and struck it against its container. Light burst into life; he squinted and inhaled sharply as his pupils dilated. “Son of a bitch,” he whispered as he lit the oil inside and turned the nob on the side to the lowest possible amount of light. He stood in place for a while to let his eyes adjust before turning back to his bed.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement. The sigh of bed sheets wafted into the stillness of the room, and Jack turned his head and watched as Maddie rolled over onto her side facing him. He felt a twinge of panic and guilt, hoping she hadn’t woken, but he sighed and relaxed when her eyes refused to open. She exhaled in her sleep and moved her head into a more comfortable position on the pillow. Her hair cascaded down her arm, blanketing her chest and hand. She looked so at peace and all the more beautiful to him; he felt an adoring grin pull up the corners of his mouth. _What a darlin’_ , he thought affectionately as he strapped on his firearms. As quietly as he could, he walked out of the room and eased the door shut.

It was eerily quiet and still in the saloon; Jack guessed it must’ve been an hour before dawn as he descended the creaky stairs and out of the building. He walked briskly in the cold twilight of dawn and made his way to the livery. He saddled Gypsy first out of courtesy to Maddie. Getting the bridle on the horse was easy: Gypsy took the bit with exuberance, happy to be out on the road just as he was. The black mare stood patiently in her stall as he struggled to lift the blanket and then the saddle up and over her back, and he ended up using only his right arm. Staggering stabs of pain attacked his left shoulder and collarbone; he sucked in air through clenched teeth and cursed incessantly. What should’ve taken him ten minutes took him half an hour as he tightened the cinches and made necessary adjusts wherever needed.

He couldn’t help but sigh with displeasure as he went over to Sundance and began saddling him up. Sundance took the bit in tired acceptance; the stallion was half-asleep as his rider slipped on the bridle and buckled the throat lash. Once more, it was a struggle for Jack to get the rest of the tack on the horse, but with a pained grunt of determination, he saw it through and gasped as the pain flared to a new height just as the saddle settled down onto the palomino’s back. He leaned against his horse in excruciation and concern. He waited until his pain ebbed away before he began on the cinches. His right arm was beginning to shake by this time, but he did his best to ignore the fatigue. By then, dawn’s light had begun to pour into the livery.

“You’re in one hell of a hurry, Mister Marston. You goin’ somewhere?”

Jack flinched and looked over his shoulder; a cold wash of fear flooded him as he laid eyes on a man dressed in a black suit and wearing a bowler hat. He stood leaning against the livery door with his arms crossed and a knowing smirk on his smug face. A high-powered pistol hung at his side; a badge rested on his breast.

As the man pushed himself away from the door and strolled up to him, Jack turned and faced him with a glowering scowl. He felt his body grow rigid with rage when the man came to stand before him, only a foot away from him and easily within striking distance. The two sized each other up for a solid moment.

“Who the hell are you?” Jack asked. He smirked and raised his chin defiantly. “Shouldn’t you be in the police station wastin’ time and tryin’ to look busy?”

“The name’s Archer Fordham. I’m the head of the Bureau of Investigation, Mister Marston, so I’d watch that uncivil tongue of yours.” He looked the young man over with what looked like contempt and shook his head. “So, this is Madeline Ross’ bounty hunting partner.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I honestly don’t know why I’m letting you walk around scot free, especially in _my_ town.”

Jack narrowed his eyes and clenched his hands into fists at his sides. He’d heard about Ross’ partner many times over. “Lettin’ me walk free? The hell does _that_ mean, lawman?”

“You know damn well what that means, _boy_. We both know what I’m talking about.”

“I haven’t done anythin’ wrong. You’re just lookin’ down on me for no reason.”

“I’d suggest you keep that trash-talking mouth of yours in check and show the law some respect. I’d hate to have you come all this way, with that bounty-hunting job of yours, only to have you thrown in jail for the fifteen people you’ve killed.”

“ _Fourteen_ , mister,” Jack amended darkly, scowling at him, “and that’s none of your goddamned business.”

Archer stepped closer to him, so close that their faces were a hands breadth away, and stared him down with a menacing glare. “Don’t bother correcting me, boy. I know what you did, even if there isn’t enough hard evidence to hold it to you.”

“If you think you know somethin’, then why aren’t you lockin’ me up right now? What, you too much of a chicken-shit to arrest me by yourself without all your men backin’ you up?” Jack spread out his arms in challenge and puffed out his chest. “Well, come on, then, lawman. What are you waitin’ on?”

“I don’t need an army of lawmen to go after you, Marston, not like Ross did for your father three years ago.” He smiled devilishly. “I’m just waiting on _her_.”

Jack felt his heart skip a beat; his face melted into cold consternation. “Maddie…”

Fordham nodded gravely. “Yes, Jack. I know what you’ve done, but I’m not going to be the one to bring you to justice. Oh, no, mister. You see, I knew what she was after when she came to me yesterday looking for answers. Everyone from here to Rio Bravo knows what you two have been doing; word spreads fast. They speak of your great deeds, and they praise you for wanting to be a changed man. But we both know the truth, don’t we? You’re being forced to carry out this job by Miss MacFarlane and Miss Ross. You don’t give a good goddamn about honor, do you, boy?”

“That’s a fuckin’ lie!” Jack hissed. “Why _else_ do you think I’m doin’ this job?! You think I like bein’ the son of a former outlaw and a working woman? I was never given the luxury to be able to shape my own future, not like you or any of the other pretentious sons-a-bitches around here. Just take a walk in my boots and try to figure out what all I’ve been through, lawman.” He paused and glared sinisterly at the agent. “It’s _you_ who doesn’t give a damn.”

Archer jabbed his right index finger into Jack’s chest. “You had a chance to come away from your father’s sins, Jack, but you tracked down my partner and gunned him down in cold blood! You fell into step _right_ after your father. You had a chance, and you wasted it, kid!”

Jack opened his mouth to interject, but Archer continued, “In any case, all the pieces will fall together in my favor. All I have to do is wait. Maddie has all the facts laid out right in front of her, except for one little detail. She doesn’t quite see the full picture yet, but she will soon enough.” Archer learned in closer and smirked menacingly. “And when she does, I’ll be happy to watch as she tears you limb from limb. It’s funny how some things work themselves out in the end, isn’t it, Mister Marston?”

“ _Nothin’s_ worked out, Fordham. There’s nothin’ to prove.”

“I’d come to terms of your demise if I were you, Jack, before you get caught unawares and it knocks you flat on your ass. You think you’re surprised now? Just wait until Maddie finds out…” He crossed his arms and smirked smugly. “She’s good at what she does, even better than most lawmen around here, I’d say. And judging by the look on that grungy face of yours, I’d say you haven’t seen her interrogate a criminal yet. Well…fancy that. I’m _awfully_ curious as to what all she’ll do to you. Hell, I might just give her a little clue and point her in the right direction, just to speed things up.”

In hostile desperation, Jack drew his gun and held it against the man’s gut. “Don’t even _think_ about it, mister.”

Archer blinked slowly and tucked his chin down as he looked Jack in the eyes. “Even if you do have the gumption to pull that trigger, you know you’ll only be digging yourself into an already deeper pit. For once in your life, kid, think twice before you pull the trigger.” He shook his head. “What a waste for John…To work so hard and clean up his act, for him and his family to get a second start, only to have it all thrown away by his vengeful bastard of a son.”

Jack gripped the high-powered pistol tightly; his index finger twitched in front of the trigger, just itching to follow through. “You rotten fucking lawman,” he spat through clenched teeth.

The government agent looked him in the eyes. “I respected your father towards the end, Jack, don’t get me wrong. He was a good man, and he did everything he could to make it right for himself, as well as for you and your mother. I’m sorry about what happened to your father.” Archer sighed heavily and shook his head. “But what you’ve done…what you’re doing right now…it’s all wrong. You’re disappointing him, even if you’re on a quest to right your wrongs. Remember that, boy.” He nodded down to the gun still held to his stomach. “Now put that gun away.”

The gun lingered for a long moment before Jack shoved it back in its holster. He glared at the man and snapped, “So are we done here?”

Fordham grinned and took a step back. “In a manner of speaking, yes. You’d do well to keep that hot temper of yours in check, Marston. You’re quick to the draw like your old man, that’s for sure.”

“And I can shoot just as fast and accurate like him, too.” He flashed his eyebrows. “You wanna find out, Fordham?”

The government agent chuckled and tipped his hat to him as he turned and disappeared around the door. Jack could hear the clacking of his boots as the man walked away, but then another pair of boots approached.

“Mister Fordham!” a familiar feminine voice resounded. “What a pleasant surprise this fine mornin’! How are you?”

“Oh, same as always. How are things with you, Miss Ross?”

“Call me Maddie, damn it,” she chuckled as she appeared before the double doors of the livery with Archer, carrying her bags and firearms over her shoulders. Her back was turned to Jack as she shrugged sadly and said, “I haven’t dug up anything new with my uncle’s case, unfortunately. I’m beginnin’ to wonder if it’s all for naught.”

Archer looked over her shoulder straight at Jack and smirked as he replied, “Oh, I’m sure you’ll find something to fit all the pieces together, miss.”

Confused, she turned and followed his gaze. Her eyes gleamed with affection as they fell on Jack, and she strolled up to him. “Jack! You’re up early. Why didn’t you wake me up? I could’ve helped you with the horses, you know.”

He swallowed down the lump of dread in his throat. He chuckled nervously and half-shrugged as she came up to him and touched his lower left arm gingerly. Looking from Maddie to Archer and back, he beamed at her and said, “I, uh…I thought I’d let you sleep in for a little bit. Gotta get that beauty sleep, ya know.”

She rolled her eyes and brushed hands with him before walking around Sundance and over to Gypsy. The mare nickered a warm greeting to her rider as Maddie stood before her and petted her forelock. She murmured sweet nothings to her before mounting up. She waited for Jack to finish with Sundance’s saddle and mount up before she nudged her horse’s sides. The mare walked out of the livery and into the golden morning, her black coat and flaxen mane and tail shimmering in the warm spring rays. Jack urged Sundance after her, and the two bounty hunters stopped their horses before Archer Fordham.

“You have a nice day, Miss Ross,” he said as he tipped his hat to her. “Keep up with the excellent service you do for this country; I wouldn’t expect anything else from you.”

Maddie tipped her hat to him as well. “You, too, Archer. Thanks for all your help. See you ‘round.” She and Jack turned their horses around and were about to spur them forward.

“Oh, Mister Marston!”

Jack rolled his eyes as he looked back over his shoulder at the lawman.

“I’d be _real_ careful these next few weeks if I were you. Wouldn’t want to see you in jail again…” Archer tipped his hat and smiled facetiously up at him before he turned and walked away.

Jack felt a shiver crawl up his spine. Hastily, he reined Sundance back around and spurred him into a lope down the road and out of town.

“Jack! Wait up!”

He blinked several times, snapping out of his blinding flight instinct, and he pulled back on the reins. His palomino eased down into a brisk walk.

Maddie and Gypsy came barreling up beside them moments later, and as Gypsy slowed down and fell into step alongside the stallion, her rider looked Jack over with concern. “Jack, what the hell? What was that all about?”

His eyes darted around as he panicked and looked for an explanation. “I…I just wanted to get back to bounty hunting is all. It feels good to be out on the road again instead of sittin’ around in that saloon.” Even as he said this, his shoulder began to flare up. He bit down on his lip and did his best to ignore the pain as he stared at the road before him.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine.”

“Liar. Something’s botherin’ you. Did Archer say somethin’ that pissed you off? What did you two talk about, anyway?”

He tugged his hat down further to conceal his face. “He asked how bounty hunting was going, and I told him it’s been fine and all…”

“…And?”

“And he got in my face about our business.” He glared at the road before him. “That dick.”

“He’s a government agent, Marston. That’s what he’s supposed to do…Did he say anything else to you?”

He guffawed and replied, “Yeah. Apparently, he’s sorry for what happened to my pa.”

“And that’s a bad thing because…?”

“It’s just…weird to hear a lawman say he’s sorry. Kinda pathetic, really. He speaks the words, but he doesn’t mean ‘em, Maddie. It’s like he’s expected to say ‘em to me, like he’s followin’ orders or somethin’.”

“Or he’s tellin’ you because he’s sorry, Jack. Not all lawmen are evil pricks like you take them to be, Jack. Archer Fordham is the exception to the rule.”

“I still don’t know ‘bout that man, Maddie, much less the law in general. Look, I have my reasons for hatin’ the law. You know that. And I’ll be damned if the law ‘round here ever apologizes to me and thinks that’s enough. They’re worse than the men we bring in, I swear.”

Maddie’s jaw dropped. Stunned into speechlessness, she turned and faced forward in the saddle, her forehead scrunching as she frowned at the road ahead.

“What? Am I not entitled to my own opinion?”

“No, you are.” She looked to the side as she added, “It’s just…your perception is…”

He turned in the saddle to look at her fully. “Is what?”

She looked up into his eyes and stated, “It’s warped, Jack.”

He jerked back on the reins, making Sundance stop abruptly in the middle of the road. “When you’ve seen the things I’ve seen, you’d understand! _Not everyone is who they say they are!_ You find me a lawman or a government agent who’s _never_ lied or double-crossed or killed anyone without reason, and I’ll _gladly_ take back what I’ve just said. But good luck findin’ one, ‘cause they’re nothin’ but lyin’ bastards! If they can find a way to cheat the system, they sure as hell will, ‘cause they’ve got a shiny little badge that lets ‘em get away with it!”

“You’re absolutely ridiculous!” Maddie retorted and nudged her horse into a faster walk. By now, they’d topped a rise in the road that overlooked the cross-roads between Tall Trees and the Great Plains.

“No, I’m not!” he refuted as he urged Sundance after her. “I’ve just come to learn the law can’t be trusted! They get away with too much shit; they have _way_ too much power, and it sure as hell shows if you look carefully enough. It’s corrupted most of the men who work for it!”

“Do you think I’m corrupted as well?” she demanded, narrowing her eyes at him. “Is that what you’re sayin’?”

He gave her a stern look-over. “No, you’re not corrupted…More like ignorant.”

 _“Ignorant?!_ I know the ways of justice better than most lawmen in Blackwater! I may not be a sheriff or a government agent, but I sure as hell am NOT ignorant of how the world works, Jack!” She paused to take a calming breath before continuing in a milder tone, “Look, I understand why you’re so upset—”

“Do you?” Jack demanded as he turned in the saddle and looked over at her. He cocked an eyebrow and chuckled cynically. “Do you _really_ understand?”

“You _know_ I do, Jack! You’re not the only one who’s had to overcome a horrific tragedy! I watched my mother get gunned down by a gang of outlaws! Do you think that’s an easy thing to get over?”

“Well, no, but—”

“BUT NOTHING!” She tugged down furiously on her hat and ran a hand through her long hair to once again control her anger. She inhaled deeply through her nose before exhaling through her mouth. “Look, I understand where you’re comin’ from. I get why you hate the law. But will you at least _try_ to learn to trust in _some_ lawmen? Hershel is a man you can trust, and so is my uncle’s former partner: he’s honest, if not quite blunt, and he does his job with honor.”

Jack scoffed. “There’s no honor in bein’ a government agent, Madeline.”

“Do you think that about our job, too?”

He half-shrugged. “Hell, I don’t know. Killin’ men isn’t something I’d really consider an honor, whether or not they’re criminals. Yeah, I can do it; I can kill a man just as easily as I can swat a fly, but still…I think this world could use a little less corrupted people.”

“You mean a little less law?” she assumed, giving him a most fowl look.

“I suppose so, miss. It would do us all some good.”

“If there wasn’t a law system, we’d be nothin’ but animals, Jack,” she admonished, her brown eyes searing into him. “The world would be in total chaos. There needs to be _structure_ , otherwise we’d all just be killin’ each other left and right like a pack of rabid wolves fightin’ over an elk carcass. Do you want to live like that?”

Jack smirked as he thought back to his days of lawless living; his eyes glinted mischievously. “For a while, I did.”

“And?”

“And I didn’t mind it at all.” He frowned and rolled his eyes as he continued, “But I suppose it was a bad life to live, seein’ as later I got a little trigger happy and landed myself in jail.” His face softened in recollection of his time alone adventuring. “But still…it was _peaceful_. It was just me and my horse and the land we were ridin’ across. There wasn’t a soul out there to bother me. I guess I needed that little gap in my life of travelin’, I suppose, but then, like I said, I got a trigger twitch and started killin’ lawmen. But whose decision is it to say whether or not my life back was good or bad? Who are they to judge and tell me how to live my life? My free will has _always_ been in the hands of others, _never_ in my own, and I fought like hell to get it, Maddie. I took it and I ran, and for a while I kept it…until I got thrown in jail, of course. Then it was taken from me once again, and for a long while, I was pissed. And now I’ve sort of found it again with you and with this job…But what’s the point in livin’ if we can’t have the freedom to live the way we want?”

He looked over at his companion and nearly laughed at the awe-struck expression she held on her beautiful face. For a long moment, she stared out at the plains, her expression unreadable and her silence overpowering. All the while, Gypsy and Sundance plodded on down the road, their hooves beating two different rhythms that blended together one moment and then separated the next. Cowboys passed them by in various gaits on their horses and wagons; the bounty hunters were unaware of the greetings the people gave as they traveled by.

“Maddie? You okay?”

“Yeah, just…thinkin’…”

“About?”

She chuckled as she looked back at him. “Your outlook on life…on free will…It’s raw and beautiful. It’s brave, Jack, and I admire that about you.” She smirked. “‘Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t’.”

Jack looked deep into her eyes and smirked. “You just _love_ quotin’ that play, don’t you?”

She shrugged nonchalantly. “I’ve come to realize it applies to a lot in life.” Looking her companion over with an empathetic look in her eyes, she stated softly, “Look, _I understand_ where you’re comin’ from; I’m just on the other end of the spectrum here. You have to understand our viewpoints will continuously clash, but you also have to understand how I view things. I’m trying to see the world through your eyes.”

“You _don’t_ wanna do that, trust me.” He glared bitterly down a familiar road on his right, and with a gasp, he realized it was the road that led to his abandoned ranch.

Beside him, Maddie chuckled and said, “Oh, believe you me, it’s quite difficult. But I’m still tryin’.”

“I would’ve expected it to be,” he said as he drew up his horse once again. Sundance swished his tail in aggravation, wanting to continue. Jack held his horse in place, even as the palomino tossed his head. “Easy, boy,” he commanded and looked back down the road. The deserted ranch still looked intact, though mildly rugged and unkempt.

“Where does that road lead to?” Maddie asked as she reined her horse closer to him.

“Beecher’s Hope.”

“Which is what exactly?”

“My home.” He stared somberly down the path. “Well…it _used_ to be, anyways.”

“Do you wanna go check it out?”

Jack reined Sundance away from the fork in the road and hastily nudged his sides. The horse trotted forward with an exuberant snort.

“I’ll take that as a no,” Maddie murmured and rode after him as he loped his horse towards Manzanita Post.


	21. Inside Information

The snow crunched loudly in the stillness of Tall Trees. Sundance plodded along steadily as Jack reined him around tree trunks and thickets. He rode in Maddie’s wake, letting her take the lead as they neared Nekoti Rock. Tall Trees was unearthly quiet for being such a populated place for wildlife, and the silence made Jack shiver and look about wearily. He knew all too well they were in bear and wolf country. He flinched in the saddle when he saw movement out of the corner of his right eye. Sensing his unease, his horse stopped suddenly and looked with his rider at the thing that caught their attention.

Off in the distance, in the clearing to their right, he spotted a lone bull elk grazing. At the sound of approaching hoof falls, the elk jerked his head up, pricked his ears forward, and stared at Jack and his stallion. Sundance breathed loudly as he took in the creature’s scent, and he flicked one ear back in confusion; he’d never seen or smelt anything like it before. Jack and the elk looked each other over in a brief, wondrous moment, before the bull turned and ran off into the trees. Jack watched the animal disappear, feeling an odd sense of kinship with the beast, empathizing with it somehow, and the shock of seeing such a magnificent animal lingered. Looking forward, he grew wary of the distance between him and Maddie, and he urged his horse into a trot to catch up.

He had become increasingly jumpy the last two days following his encounter with Archer Fordham; he found himself often tongue-tied and nervous when speaking to his companion, and the never-ending flow of guilt that trickled through his body and poisoned his heart ceaselessly reminded him of his impending doom. It was rare to find himself relaxed, and on the off-chance he was, he was asleep. Aside from the pain in his shoulder and collarbone, he felt his body becoming encased in aches and exhaustion.

“Keep up, Marston,” Maddie called over her shoulder. Her hair swayed to the side as she looked back at him.

Their eyes met, and Jack swallowed hard. The confusion he’d felt over his feelings for her were stifling: on one hand, he adored her, but on the other, he was terrified of her. “I-I’m comin’,” he stuttered back and spurred Sundance into a canter. He winced as his horse’s gait across the uneven ground jarred his injuries, and he had to pull his horse to a walk when his excruciation reached unbearable levels.

Maddie noticed this and reined her horse around to a stop. Gypsy flicked her ears back and chewed on the bit, but she didn’t pay her mount any mind as she looked him over with concern. “You sure you’re ready to do this?”

He nodded as he rode up beside her. He stopped his horse abreast of hers, and though it hurt to look into her eyes, he did so with a look of determination. “I’m not gonna let my shoulder get in the way of doin’ my job, miss. It’s just actin’ up is all.”

Her eyes lingered on his shoulder. “Jack…”

“Maddie, I’m fine.” He looked forward and inhaled deeply through his nose. Nekoti Rock was right before them. His eyes followed the upward trail. He exhaled slowly through his mouth. “Let’s just get this over with.”

She was slow to answer. “Well, alright then.”

Jack nodded affirmably. “Then let’s go up there.”

“Not on our horses, you fool! Are you thick in the head? We’ll be more than obvious, and it’ll be easier to get shot. Jack, are you sure you’re—”

“Yes, damn it!” he shouted and looked at her crossly. “Now let’s get up there and get this shit done!” With a sigh, he dismounted and walked in front of his horse. The palomino obediently stood where he’d been stopped.

“Okay,” she agreed and ducked her head submissively, her eyebrows raising in surprise from his sudden anger. She dismounted as well and joined him. She reached around, grabbed the butt of her Henry repeater, unslung it over her shoulder, and held it before her with both hands as she loaded it. “You gonna take the lead, or do you want me to?”

“Does it really matter, Maddie?” he scoffed as he drew his pistol: he had found it a hassle to grab his repeater because of the pain it caused his injuries, so he left it slung over his back. He drew the bolt back and held it at the ready as he started forward at a brisk jog. He ran up to the first large boulder that shouldered the sloping upward trail and knelt behind it. He waited until Maddie came to his side before he got back up again and led them on, pausing at every other boulder before running up the incline. He kept a sharp vigilance above him, looking for any of Americus Roe’s gang members, but to his surprise, he saw no one stirring. Frowning with confusion and concern, he ran on up the steady slope, and as he was about to turn the corner to the top of the landmark, he paused and knelt behind the last remaining boulder. He waited for his breath to slow and a plan to form in his mind. Taking a deep inhale, he chanced a peek around his cover.

“See anything?” Maddie whispered behind him.

He looked back at her over his shoulder and shook his head. “Nothing.”

“You’re kiddin’.”

“Lemme look again, just to be sure.”

Again, he looked around the rock. The top of Nekoti Rock was empty, save for the usual grasses, violet snowdrops, and massive evergreen trees. He swallowed thickly as he briefly recalled the last time he was there…the day he discovered the truth, about his horrible crime. He looked back at Maddie and felt his heart tear; he flinched with the pain in his chest, and his guilt began to pour once more into his body. It was a relentless toxin that came from his center, and the poison was administered to him every time he looked at the woman whose uncle he killed.

“Jack? You okay? You look like you’re gonna be sick.”

Her voice snapped him back to the present. “Yeah, I’m fine.” He looked back around the rock again.

“So? What do you see?”

“No one. This place is deserted, Maddie.”

“Shit.” She scooted around him and knelt by his side.

“Somethin’ isn’t right here,” he warned as he cautiously stood up. The grass slithered around his boots and the snow crunched underneath him as he walked forward. The wind howled in his ears and tossed his duster and hair behind him. He stopped in the middle of Nekoti Rock and looked about, his gun slowly drifting down to his side. “This doesn’t make any sense.”

“You’ve got that right,” Maddie agreed as she passed him and ambled forward, her repeater still held out before her just in case. The wind threw her hair and duster about as if it were no more than lifeless leaves. She stopped abruptly when she came upon the remains of a campfire, and she knelt before it and held a hand above the grey pile of ash. “Goddamn it,” she sighed and looked around.

“What?” Jack asked as he walked up to her.

“This fire’s been out for quite a while—it’s just as cold as the air up here. And from the looks of things,” she said as she stood up and slung her repeater back over her shoulder, “Americus Roe and his gang have cleared out of here long ago. I’d say they high-tailed it outta here at least two days ago. Look at the ground: not a single track. I suppose the wind blew ‘em all away. Lord knows which direction they took off to after they rode down the slope.”

“Son of a bitch.” He angrily holstered his pistol and placed his hands on his hips. “Now what?”

“We search for him the old-fashioned way.”

“And how do you propose we go about doin’ that?”

Maddie turned and walked to their left, craning her head around to get a better view of their surroundings. “We go down to Manzanita Post and start askin’ people if they’ve seen him or his gang around. We’ve got his wanted poster; someone’s bound to have seen him and his gang ridin’ around somewhere. The trail isn’t as cold as we think _just_ yet.”

“And if that doesn’t work, what then?”

She opened her mouth to answer but suddenly drew in a breath. She stopped abruptly and drew her pistol at the sight of something hidden in the trees. “Jack, come here.”

 He quickly joined her side, his pistol in his right hand and at the ready. He followed her gaze and blinked at what he saw. Standing idly right in front of them was a bay mare hitched to one of the trees; her saddle sat atop her back with the cinches hung loose.

“What the hell?” Jack asked.

“There’s someone still here,” Maddie murmured. She motioned past the horse with a nod to a cave. A sad excuse for a fire lit up the interior, revealing to them the shape of what looked like a young man sitting with his back to them. He sat close to the fire, nearly huddling over it in a desperate attempt to keep warm. Maddie nudged Jack’s side with her elbow and nodded.

The bounty hunters crept forward, their guns aimed on the boy’s back. As they neared the entrance to the cave, however, the man inside flinched at the sound of their footfalls and turned around in his seat. He yelped in surprise at the sight of them and hastily got to his feet. Before he could reach for the revolver hung at his side, Maddie and Jack entered the cave and aimed their guns at his chest.

“Not another step, boy,” Maddie warned. “Take your gun belt off. Now!”

The boy looked to be only sixteen years old; his round face refused to grow facial hair, and his sullied attire made him appear as no more than a horse thief. “W-Who the f-fuck are you?” he demanded in a cracking, tenor voice.

“Do it or I’ll shoot.”

The boy did as he was told and tossed it against the side of the cave wall.

“Keep them hands where I can see ‘em, kid,” Jack warned coldly as he stepped to the side. While Maddie kept his gun on the boy, he unloosed his lasso and stood behind the young man. “Now, hands behind your back.”

“But—”

“Do it!”

The boy relinquished his hands to him, and he stood still as Jack tied his wrists together. Once he was bound, Jack came back around and stood beside his companion.

“On your knees,” Maddie commanded, motioning with her gun.

“Who the hell are you, lady, to be tellin’ me what to do?”

She punched him in the face, making him stumble back a few steps. “Say one more cross word to me again, boy, and I’ll do more than scuff up that little baby face of yours. Now get on your knees.” She pointed her gun at his face. “Or do I need to give you more persuasion?”

Reluctantly, the boy lowered himself to his knees before her and Jack. He looked at them with contempt. “So you must be the bounty hunters everyone’ been talkin’ about.” He chortled. “You look like a bunch of young hooligans to me…or a whore and her customer.”

Before the boy could react, Maddie brought up her right boot and kicked him in the chest, sending him flat on his back. The young man yelped in shock and pain, and as he tried to roll over and sit up, she stepped on his chest.

“And you look like a little brat who needs an ass-whoopin’,” she growled down at him. She holstered her pistol and put her hands on her hips. “No matter. I can do that for you, and much more, if you’ll have me. But first, let’s get a few things straight, you little shit: you show me and my partner here some respect, or I’ll castrate you faster than you can recite your ABCs. I’m a respectable bounty hunter, you little prick, not some whore dressed in man’s clothin’, and my partner here is also a hunter. We know a thing or two to get answers from scum like you, so I’d appreciate it if you’d cooperate with us and answer some questions we have.”

“You can go to hell, as far as I’m concerned,” he stupidly retorted. “If you think I’m gonna listen to _you_ of all people and—”

He stopped abruptly, and his eyes widened when Maddie lifted her boot off his chest, turned to the side, and rested her spur in his groin. He gasped and screamed when she slowly dug her heel into his flesh.

“Not so much a tough-ass _now_ , are ya?” Maddie goaded with a grin and dug her spur even deeper into the fork of his legs.

The boy’s screams reached a higher pitch, and he lay there prone on the cold cave floor in tensed excruciation. Jack winced and looked away, feeling sorry for the kid but grateful he wasn’t in his place. As Maddie tortured the boy, Jack couldn’t help but think back to Archer’s words, and he shook his head as he thought _, So_ this _is what he was warnin’ me about…_ He looked at the devilish smirk Maddie held on her face. _Jesus Christ…I’d hate to see what she does to me if_ —he caught himself and sighed, bowing his head as he corrected—when _she finds out._

“You gonna talk to me like a little brat some more, or are you done?”

The boy shook his head feverishly and replied, “No! No, no, no, please! Please don’t! No more! PLEASE!”

“There’s a good little boy,” she said and lifted her heel off him. She took a step back and looked down on him and crossed her arms. “Now, where is Americus Roe?”

The kid looked up at her but refused to answer as he lay there groaning and gasping in pain.

 _"Where is he?!”_ she demanded as she kicked him in the side.

He cried out in agony but still didn’t speak.

“That’s it,” Maddie growled and dug her spur back into his crotch. She grinded her heel to emphasize her lack of patience with him. **_“_** _Where is Americus Roe?!”_

In between his shrieks, he managed to plead, “STOP! _PLEASE_ STOP!”

She eased her heel back out and set her boot back down on the ground. She crossed her arms and glared down at the boy. “And here I thought you were some tough little outlaw. Guess not, huh? I can honestly say you’re the quickest interrogation I’ve ever had.” She nodded down at him and waited. “Well?”

The boy whimpered as he struggled up into a sitting position. Jack blinked when the boy looked past his torturer and locked gazes with him. His green eyes pleaded for help; Jack forced himself to frown and look away.

“ _Speak_ , boy!” Maddie commanded and uncrossed her arms. She raised a threatening fist.

The kid flinched like a bruised and beaten dog. “West!” he blurted out and ducked his face down in preparation for the blow. “He’s headed west to Gaptooth Ridge! Said somethin’ about joinin’ up with somebody.”

“In the mines?” Jack jumped in. He looked back at the kid and blinked.

He nodded.

“Why?” Maddie asked.

He hesitated to answer as he looked up at her with a tearful expression.

 She drew her arm back.

“I don’t know!” he shrieked and cowered once again. “Honest to God, I don’t know!”

She struck him across the side of his face and bellowed, “Fess up, boy, or else you’ll be gettin’ another jab of my spurs again!”

 _I don’t know!_ ”

“Bullshit!” she said and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. She shoved her face into his and demanded, “Why is he headed there? What are his plans?”

“He said he was meetin’ up with some men!”

Maddie blinked and cocked her head slightly to the side. “Who?”

“Some outlaw named Spinney and another one called…umm…Forth? Faith?”

“Frith?” Jack piped up, his eyes widening.

“Yeah.”

“Who else?” Maddie asked.

“Zebedee Nash. They’re all meetin’ in the mines for some reason, but honest to God, I don’t know why!”

Maddie let go of the kid and stood up. She turned and looked at her partner, who mirrored her shocked expression.

“Son of a bitch,” Jack murmured.

“Why would they all meet up?” she pondered.

“How the hell should I know? I reckon they all heard about us bringin’ in other criminals. They probably all thought the same thing: there’s strength in numbers. It only makes sense for the last four men on our list to join forces. We’re talkin’ an army of outlaws here, Maddie. This is….”

“Big,” she finished and shook her head. “This is far bigger than what we two can handle.” She looked back down at their captive and demanded, “When are they gonna meet up?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know, lady. Americus didn’t tell me shit. I suppose they’ll all meet up there in a matter of days.”

Jack blinked. “Then why are you still here? Did they leave you behind in case we came lookin’ for Americus?”

The kid shook his head. “Hell no. I stayed behind ‘cause I wanted out. I left home to get outta my ma and pa’s hands. I didn’t wanna be a farmer, so I joined up with Americus’ gang.” He lowered his gaze in shame, however, as he continued, “But when they all started killin’ and stealin’, I knew I was in the wrong place, so when they left to go to the mines, I didn’t go with ‘em.”

“And they didn’t try to kill you?” Jack asked, dumbfounded.

The boy shook his head again. “Nope. Just said to hell with me and up and left. Even left some supplies for me to live off of.” He nodded over to the chest that sat across the room. “I’ve got some cash and some food in there to last me a few days.”

“So what will you do now, kid?”

He sighed and looked about indecisively. “Hell if I know. I don’t wanna go back home, but I sure as hell don’t wanna be runnin’ ‘round in some gang ever again.”

Before Jack could pester him further, Maddie turned to him and motioned to the kid with a jerk her head. “What should we do with him?”

Jack looked from the boy to her and back. He bit down on his lip and thought for a brief second before he answered softly, “Let him go.”

Her jaw dropped. “You can’t be serious.”

He nodded and held her gaze, determined to let it be so. “He deserves a second chance in life, Maddie. Plus, he made the smart decision to leave the gang before he got too far gone. He had a decision and he chose it wisely. I’d say he’s free to do whatever he wants from now on.” Jack looked past Maddie’s shoulder and briefly met eyes with the kid, who looked up at him with a reverent gleam in his eye. He smirked at him and nodded; the kid nodded back in gratitude.

“The kid’s a crook, Jack,” Maddie reasoned, waving a hand back at the boy. “He needs to serve some jail time for his reckless behavior.”

“What the hell for? As far as we know, he didn’t do anything wrong.”

She narrowed her eyes. “He’s _lying_ , Jack.”

“I don’t think so, Madeline. Look at him, for Christ’s sake. He’s just a kid who made a stupid decision. I’d say he’s learned his lesson, especially since he got one hell of a beating from you. I don’t think he’s about to revert back to his old ways any time soon.” Before his partner could interject, he walked around her and came to stand behind the boy. He unsheathed his knife and cut his ropes, being careful not to nick the kid’s skin. As the kid stood up and rubbed at his wrists, Jack walked back around him and stood between him and Maddie. He looked him in the eyes and commanded, “Get outta here, boy. Get your ass back to town and find yourself a good job. Stay there and stay outta trouble, you understand me? Don’t make the same mistake twice; otherwise, you’ll be seein’ us again, and next time, I won’t be as lenient.” He jerked his head toward the cave entrance. “Now git.”

The kid hastily gathered his supplies out of the chest and stuffed them in a bag he’d stashed in the same place. He shied as far away from Maddie as possible as he made his way for the exit and ran to his bay mare. The bounty hunters watched as he tightened up the cinches on the saddle before mounting up and riding down the sloping trail.

The bounty hunters turned to each other and exchanged conflicted expressions.

“I can’t believe I just let you set that boy free,” Maddie said with a shake of her head. She wrapped her arms around her tightly; the howling wind sent a shiver across her body.

“So now what?” Jack asked as he wrapped an arm around her to keep her warm.

She cuddled closer to him as another shiver wracked her. Her teeth began to chatter as she responded, “I suppose n-n-now we…h-hhead for G-G-Gaptooth R-Ridge.”

“We gotta let Hershel know about this first. If what that boy said is true, there are four gangs hidin’ out in those mines. We won’t stand a damn chance if we try to go up there by ourselves. We need help with this one. C’mon, let’s get back down to our horses.”

They left Nekoti Rock and descended the slope. As they walked around the rock where they’d crouched behind ten minutes ago, Maddie asked, “So, what, are you suggestin’ we involve Hershel and his two dipshit sheriffs in this?”

Much to his chagrin, Jack nodded.

She laughed. “I can’t believe you of all people would propose this.”

“Me neither,” he grumbled back, “but we don’t have much of a choice.”

A pause ensued between the two as they came closer to the bottom of Nekoti Rock.

“We should go talk to Archer about this. He needs to know about this as well.”

They walked up to their horses, who were obediently waiting for their riders just where they’d left them. Jack sighed angrily and jammed his left boot into the stirrup. He mounted swiftly.

“No.”

She blinked and stared at him as she mounted up. Beneath her, Gypsy tossed her head and swished her tail, eager to be off. “Why not?” she questioned. She gave him a cross look and tucked her head down slightly as an admonishing expression molded her visage. “You’re not still pissed at him, are you?”

“I don’t trust that nosy fuck.”

“Are you serious?” she grumbled.

He looked away from her and frowned deeply.

“Jesus Christ…”

“What?” he demanded as he looked back at her. “You know I hate Blackwater and its lawmen!”

Maddie nodded, her countenance softening. “I know, but still…will you please set aside your differences just this once so we can get this done?”

He sighed haughtily through his nose and glared out across the clearing. The confliction he felt raging within was stifling. Beneath him, Sundance pawed at the ground and blew loudly, growing annoyed at standing there for so long.

“You know you’re gonna have to,” Maddie pressed softly, staring intently at him.

“I know, goddamn it, but what you’re askin’ isn’t somethin’ easy for me.” He felt his pulse quicken and his blood boil. Her eyes bored into him, making him fidget in the saddle.

“I know, Jack. I know. But just think: after all this is over, you’ll be fully pardoned.”

He grunted.

“So will you do it?”

“Well, it looks like I have no other choice now, do I?”

Their eyes met; the reassuring gleam in her brown ovals made him blink at the potent calming affect they had on him. His heart fluttered in his chest, and he cleared his throat and looked away from her for fear of becoming lost in them. He nodded grudgingly and sighed. He nudged his horse’s sides, and as the horse walked forward, he reined him back around. He urged Sundance into a lope as he said, “C’mon then. Let’s get this over with.”

“Alright, then,” Maddie said softly and bid her horse to follow.


	22. Distractions

**Chapter Track** : “Ar Éireann Ní Neosainn Cé Hí” – The High Kings

 

“You did _what?_ ”

Jack stood before the government agent, unaffected by the man’s outrage. He nodded with conviction and repeated, “I let him go.”

“You brainless coward!” Archer yelled back, brisling with anger as he walked around his desk and advanced upon him from. His office, formerly Edgar Ross’s, was lavishly decorated with metals and the like; Jack found it rather gaudy. “You do realize you’ve single-handedly managed to ruin our chances of learning all we could about this fiasco? Damn it, Marston, you’re a fool!”

Jack took an aggressive step forward. “The kid didn’t do anything wrong, as far as I’m concerned.”

“My ass! You just have a soft spot for criminals, don’t you? I guess it takes one to know one, doesn’t it, boy?”

“Actually,” Maddie interjected from beside Jack, “he did what he thought was—”

“How could you have just let that outlaw go, Jack?” Archer raged on, acting as if she hadn’t spoke up. He put his hands on his hips. “If it weren’t for your stupidity, we could be interrogating him right now, and if what Maddie says is true, then we _desperately_ need all the information we can get! Way to ruin our chances, you idiot!”

“Hey, I did what was best for the kid!” Jack shouted, feeling his hands ball into shaking fists by his sides. “If I would’ve brought him in, you and the rest of your little brigade would be torturin’ him and treatin’ him like he was some kind of bloodthirsty animal. He’s a _boy_ , Fordham! You think I’m just gonna stand by and let you ruin that kid’s life? Fuck no! I gave him the second chance he deserved!”

“He would’ve been prosecuted and treated as such, Jack,” Archer snapped back as he came to stand before him. “He would’ve been dealt with the proper way, even given a trial and everything else required of the law, but you just _had_ to give him the slip, didn’t you? We don’t tolerate such reckless decisions, Jack. We can’t be turning our heads away from every minute crime; otherwise, the land would be riddled with criminals like ants spreading across the dirt.” He pointed threateningly at him. “This will all be pinned down on you.”

Jack threw his hands up in the air. “For what, doin’ the right thing?! This is bullshit! I _knew_ I shouldn’t have come here and enlisted your help.” He turned and made his way for the door. “To hell with you!”

He was caught and held back by his partner’s steady grasp as she clasped her hand tightly around his right wrist. She pulled him back and threw him a quick admonishing scowl before she faced Archer and proclaimed, “If I may interject here, Archer, I think Jack would like to _reconsider_ ”—at this, she looked pointedly at her friend, yanked on his arm, and flashed her eyebrows at him—“his decision. We need your help if we’re to succeed in bringin’ these men to justice.”

Jack wrenched his hand out of her grasp. “The hell I am! Maddie, this son of a bitch is just tryin’ to pin me with unnecessary bullshit! He’s just _lookin’_ for a reason to get me arrested.”

“Only if you keep acting out on stupid impulsive decisions, Marston,” the government agent shot back.

“Hey, I didn’t ask for your fuckin’ opinion, lawman!”

“Watch that uncivil tongue of yours, boy!” He gestured to the government pin that hung at his chest. “You see this badge? I can throw your worthless hide in jail _right now_ for obstruction!”

Jack shoved his face into Archer’s and roared, “Why don’t you shove that badge up your ass, see if it makes you smile?!”

To both of their surprise, Maddie elbowed her way in-between them and declared, “ENOUGH!” She put a hand on each man’s chest and shoved them away from each other. She looked from Jack to Archer and back with a look of disappointment, anger, and annoyance. “If you fools are done comparin’ egos and bitchin’ like old men, I’d like to continue our conversation in a _civilized_ manner. Now both of you _get a grip_ and _knock it off_ , or so help me God, I will _both_ put you in your places! Do I make myself clear?”

She looked at both men, who were too stunned to speak further. She moved back to Jack’s side, her hand clutching his arm should he be tempted to rush head-first into another argument with Archer. Jack stood beside her fuming but otherwise keeping his tongue in check. He glared at Archer instead.

Archer glared right back at him, and for a moment, the tension in the room was once again heavy with the impending threat of another shouting match. However, Maddie interjected it by stepping forward and raising her chin as she stated, “With all due respect, Mister Fordham, I appreciate the concern for our current situation, but I stand beside Jack with his conviction that the boy didn’t do anything wrong. He had every right to let that kid go, Archer, and you know it. Need I remind you Jack isn’t a part of the police force? He’s a _bounty hunter_ , and what he did was right. Contrary to your belief, along with every other officer around here, Jack has matured. He’s changed, and he knows right from wrong. From where I stand, you should be shakin’ Jack’s hand instead of chastisin’ him.”

Archer looked away from Jack and stared at Maddie. Jack too felt surprised, if not extremely smug and touched by her support, and he had to give Fordham a victorious smirk when the government agent nodded much to his chagrin.

“So, will you help us out?” Maddie asked, looking the man in the eyes. “I’ve done my fair share of favors for you and for Blackwater, Archer. Don’t make the mistake of turnin’ me away now…”

Archer straightened up from his crouched stance, transforming from what looked like a boxer to a civilized man in a suit and tie. He looked at Jack with contempt and scowled at him as he looked him over one last time before looking back at Maddie and nodding. “Give me two days to make preparations and call on my men. We’ll need all the help we can get if we’re to be successful in this. Once you’ve spoken to Hershel and his men in Armadillo, meet me south of the mines at the Scratching Post. Keep yourselves hidden, and tell no one of your business. Understood?”

“Of course,” she said. “We will meet you there in two days. Make sure you bring some… _heavy_ artillery, if you get my meanin’.”

Archer nodded as he turned away from her and retreated back behind his desk. He waved a hand dismissively at them as he sat down in his luxurious leather chair. “Now go, and take that uncivil piece of trash with you.”

“Yes, sir,” Maddie replied and dragged her raging partner out of the room before he could say something back.

 

*             *             *

 

The blanket of stars strewn overhead glittered in the dark sky; the moon glistened even though it was a mere sliver among her sisters in the heavens. Cholla Springs seemed so desolate that night, despite the songs of the nocturnal creatures.

Jack lay atop his bed roll with his arms drawn up and behind his head as he gawked at the night sky. He had been in a much better mood the second he and Maddie rode out of town and made their way southwest. The ride through Thieves Landing was quiet and uneventful. When dusk had begun to settle around them, they stopped for the night several miles outside of Armadillo near Lake Don Julio.

As he lay there thinking over the day’s events and what was to come in two days’ time, he couldn’t help but feel a rising pit in his stomach. It had started out small when he and Maddie were speaking to Archer, but now it had matured into a large black abyss of worry that lingered in his gut like a flu bug, making him nauseous and uncomfortable. He knew it could certainly be his last days on earth. After all, he and his partner were well on their way to face off against what he guessed would be an army of outlaws. If their calculations were correct, each one of their bounty targets had ten to fifteen able-bodied men following their lead, and altogether, their numbers would be substantial. Their growing need of lawmen was mandatory for him and Maddie if he were to succeed in pardoning himself of his crimes and ridding the land of such ludicrous criminals.

 _This is all just insane_ , he thought with a shake of his head. He sighed heavily through his nose, wondering what was to come in the next several days. _No doubt Archer will wanna take the reins and come out the hero of all this, just like his former partner. Those rotten bastards…_ He flicked his gaze across the fire over to Maddie, who sat cross-legged atop her bedroll staring into the flames and looking just as worried as he was as she combed her long hair; it draped down her shoulders and covered her chest like a black blanket. He bit his lip and studied her, his worry blossoming further and consuming his torso mercilessly. _I just hope she doesn’t get…_ He couldn’t finish his thought: it pained him too much to think of the possibility of her death _. Hell,_ I _could die, too…_ He turned back to the stars and stared up somberly at them. He was tied down and dependent on the law, a fact that he absolutely loathed.

“Don’t look so sour, there, Jack,” Maddie murmured.

He blinked and turned his head. “Hmm?”

“You look pissed off. You doin’ okay?” She sat up and flicked her hair to her left side, letting it tumble down her shoulder.

“I’m not so sure, Maddie. To be honest, I don’t know _what_ I’m feelin’ right now.”

“I know it. Shit’s _really_ gone downhill for us these past few weeks. Can’t imagine what’s in store for us all in two days…”

“You got that right,” he chuckled darkly and shook his head. He ran a hand over his face, exasperated. “What started out as a simple bounty hunting job turns up to be a battle for…well, hell, we don’t even know yet.”

Maddie shrugged and sighed, utterly clueless and tired from the long day. She tossed her comb into her open bag and tightened the draw strings. She ran a hand through her hair and frowned at how soiled it was, not to mention the rest of her body and clothes. “I need a bath,” she murmured to herself before looking up at him. “What I want to know is what Zebedee Nash and the others are plannin’. Gangs don’t just join up outta the blue; there’s _gotta_ be a reason.”

“I’m sure there is,” he agreed and sat up with difficulty. He winced and sucked in air through clenched teeth when his shoulder and collarbone gave him stabs of pain to remind him of the injury that was still somewhat fresh. He turned and faced her with a troubled frown upon his lips. They met gazes and shared the same uneasy expression. “I just hope we can stop whatever they’ve got planned.”

“We can only know for sure in time, Jack.” She gestured to him with a positive wave of her hand and grinned. “But just think: in two days’ time, you’ll be a free man.”

“Or a dead one.”

She cocked her head slightly to the side. “Why do you say that, Marston?”

“C’mon, Maddie, let’s face it: it’s a damn miracle that I’ve survived this long doin’ this job. It’s not like this is the easiest and safest job in the world.” He gestured to himself and then to her. “We could both die in a couple of days—this fight will be big, and a lot of people will die that day. That much is certain.”

She sighed and looked back down into the fire. She nodded gravely. “Yeah, I know. You, me, Hershel, Jonah, Eli…hell, even Archer…we could all die.”

Jack nodded.

“But it will be for a good cause, I imagine. We’ll be riddin’ the land of a lot of evil. Justice will be served, make no mistake about that, but there most _definitely_ will be blood…”

“Buckets of it.”

“Yeah.” She paused to look him bravely in the eyes; her own blazed with unwavering righteousness and courage. “But if this is to be our end, then I would have us make such an end to be worthy of remembrance. We’ll be heralded for our grit and our deeds, especially you, Jack.”

“You seem eager to die in a most spectacular way, Madeline.” He looked her over carefully. “You really aren’t afraid of death, are you?”

He watched as she stood up and walked around the campfire. She sat down beside him and looked him over with a countenance he couldn’t quite understand. Her eyes softened with affection as she said, “You’re quite the observant man, aren’t you?”

They shared a small chortle together before they simultaneously looked into the fire. The humor in their conversation was once again gone, and the wisdom that flooded into her voice was enrapturing to Jack as she spoke, “I do not fear death: it’s a part of life, and everyone dies one way or another, some more gallantly than others. One must accept the fact that they will die eventually. Besides, being a bounty hunter means being fearless in a way that most people wouldn’t be able to comprehend or duplicate; it means starin’ death in the face and then laughin’ at it before you shoot it down. It’s the thrill of the ride and the danger of it all that keeps me goin’. That, and the satisfaction of knowin’ I’m doin’ something good with my life and for the world is a wonderful thing to know and feel.”

Jack looked at her reverently. “No truer words could’ve been said, miss.”

She looked back at him with the same visage. She carefully draped her arm over his shoulder so as not to jostle it and cause him pain. “But don’t you worry: I’ll make certain no harm comes to you.”

He laughed. “ _You’re_ gonna watch over _me_? Maddie, isn’t that supposed to be _my_ job?”

She shook her head and poked his chest with her index finger. “Look here, princess: I didn’t have you come all this way just to die on me now. For you to have worked so hard and come so far, only to get shot down in the end, would be horrible, and I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. You don’t deserve to die like that, and I’ll make certain you don’t.”

He blinked and raised his eyebrows. “You’re not serious.”

She nodded and all traces of humor vanished from her beautiful face. “I am.” She scooted closer to him and cupped the side of his face with a gentle hand. “Jack, you’re so near the end of your journey…I want you to be pardoned and live the rest of your life a free man. Bonnie and all the others back at the ranch do, too. We’ve watched you grow into someone we’ve all become proud of…someone your _parents_ would be proud of.”

He didn’t know what to say to her as he stared into her brown eyes. Quite quickly, he felt himself slipping, and he couldn’t stop staring at the way they glistened with affection as she stared back at him, or the way the firelight cast a beautiful glow upon her. She looked beautiful in her soiled attire and dusty, unkempt hair. His heart pounded as he leaned in closer to her. If they were to die in two days, why not take this risk? His hand hovered in the air as he decided whether to draw her face closer to his and do what he thought he’d never wanted to do…until now.

His hand froze, however, when he decided to go for it, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t find the courage to act.

When the moment passed and nothing happened, Maddie leaned away and let her hand drop from his face down to settle on her lap. She cleared her throat and stared into the fire as she recovered from the moment that never came full circle. “Besides,” she said softly, “isn’t it about time you’ve gotten the peace you deserve? Think about it: after this is over, you can go back home. You can start up your ranch again, and all will be well.”

Jack sighed through his nose and let his hand drop down to his lap. Disappointment ebbed through him. His reply was half-hearted as he murmured, “I…I don’t know about that, Maddie.”

“Why not?” she asked as she looked back at him. Her hair swayed by the subtle moment. “Isn’t that what you want?”

“Hell, I don’t know…”

She blinked. “Go on.”

“I grew up differently, Maddie. Most kids my age were goin’ to school while I was runnin’ around with my pa’s gang. I’ve seen and learned a lot of things most kids wouldn’t have dreamed of, and none of it was good. Trust me, had I been raised up proper, I would want to get my ranch fixed up right now. But…” He faltered and shook his head. He swallowed and looked to the side. “Who I am now and who I was back then…the life I’ve come to know just won’t let me have that. I can’t do it, even if I promised my parents I’d become what they wanted me to be in the first place. Maddie, I just…I just can’t.”

Her eyes darted about as she took in his pained expression. “You’ve _got_ to let that all go, Jack. Wasn’t it you who said you’ve got to let the past go or else it’ll torture you? Live by your own words and just _let it go_. Your parents would want you to do that.”

He opened his mouth to retort, but when no words came to mind, he closed it and bowed his head in defeat. With a sigh, he laid back down on his bed roll and glared up at the stars.

“Look, I know it won’t be easy for you—hell, it _hasn’t_ been easy for you—but just know I’m right here. Like it or not, I’m in on this as well. You’re not alone in this struggle, ya know.” She grinned encouragingly at him and gave him one last tender look before she stood up and went back to her bedroll. As she nestled into it, she said, “Sleep on what I’ve said to you. ‘Night, Jack.”

“Night,” he responded softly, watching her all the while. With difficulty, he climbed in between the blankets and pulled them up to his chin. The hard ground underneath him gave him no comfort, nor did the saddle that served as his pillow, but her words enveloped him like a fleece blanket. He rolled over on his side, facing her and the fire. The last thing he saw before he fell asleep was her face, with its peaceful countenance and unmatched beauty and her long dark hair framing it as it blanketed her shoulders.

 

*             *             *

 

The songs of dawn and the sigh of the gentle spring breeze stirred Jack awake; he was greeted with a brilliant sunrise as he sat up and slowly rose from his bed roll. He looked to the campfire and frowned when there was nothing more than smoldering coals and grey ash. As he knelt beside the fire’s remnants, he looked to where Maddie was sleeping and opened his mouth to greet her with a cheery good morning, as he always did.

He blinked and felt a pang of concern enter him when all he saw was her empty bed roll lying across from him. Jack frowned and studied where last he’d seen her: all her belongings were still there, even her hat, her horse’s saddle, and her satchel. Her Henry repeater lay atop her bandolier across her bed roll. Her bag looked like it had been rummaged through. Jack stood up and looked about, his worry starting to really get the best of him.

“Maddie?” he called out. He looked to where their horses were picketed not ten feet away, and he blinked in rapid succession. Her horse was grazing beside his.

 _Something’s not right here_ , he thought as he quickly strapped on his guns and threw on his hat. Other than performing necessities when nature called, she wouldn’t have left his side for anything, and for him to wake up without her at camp was unsettling. He looked back at the horses and considered saddling up Sundance to ride around and look for her, but he thought better of it should she return and find him missing instead. With a worried sigh, he headed toward Lake Don Julio, feeling it best he start there.

 _Goddamn, this just isn’t like her,_ he mused as he swiveled his head about. _She never goes off like this._ He stopped suddenly when a disconcerting thought occurred to him. His eyes widened with dread. _Maybe someone took her in the middle of the night or something…But she would’ve been able to fend them off long enough to wake me up or somethin’…and besides, why would they take her and leave me alive?_ He shook his head as he ascended a hill overlooking Lake Don Julio. _This doesn’t make any sense. If no one took her, then where would she—_

As he came to the top of the hill, all thoughts ceased and were replaced with shock and wonder at the sight he beheld below him.

There, not thirty feet from him in the shallow part of the lake, she was standing naked with her back to him and humming a nameless tune. Her hair was draped over her right shoulder and down her front as she washed it, revealing to him her entire backside, save for her legs and the bottom half of her buttocks. Her pale skin, flecked with numerous battle scars from the years of being a bounty hunter, glowed and glistened in the morning light. The placid lake illuminated her body as it reflected the watercolor-painted sunrise, casting a myriad of beautiful colors onto the surface of her skin. Maddie took her time washing her long hair before she disappeared underneath the water only to bob back up, her hair rinsed and clean.

Jack stood weak-kneed and slack-jawed. The undeniable pleasure he felt seeing her like this made him more aroused than he’d ever been in his whole life, but there was also the embarrassment and perversion he felt about his sensuous discovery. _I shouldn’t be here_ , he thought, feeling sullied and incredibly out-of-place. He meant to turn and leave, but his boots were planted firmly, and his eyes were irrevocably fixed upon her.

He watched as she took the bar of soap and began lathering her shoulders and upper back. She scrubbed her skin as gently as she could, all the while humming and enjoying her solitude. Jack was fascinated not only by her, but by the way her arms could bend back and upwards as she scrubbed her back and shoulders—there was no way in hell he’d be able to bend his arms like that, so he inwardly applauded her for her flexibility. She turned slightly to the right just then to stare reverently at the sunrise; she tossed her wet hair over her other shoulder, and he caught sight of her right breast as she scrubbed her chest and stomach. She dipped herself down into the water until it touched her chin before rising back up and clasped her hands together over her head and stretched. Jack stared in fascination as her back and shoulder muscles flexed; she didn’t bear the physique of most women, but she wasn’t muscular like a man. She was toned, her muscles strong and impressive, and her body was healthy and undeniably beautiful.

As she took the bar of soap underwater to clean the rest of her body, she began to sing in a language that was foreign to Jack’s ears. Enamored and aroused, he listened intently to her song, a song which he guessed was in her native tongue and more beautiful because of it. Her Irish trill came loud and pleasant to his ears and to all of nature as she sang in a wondrous alto:

_Areir ‘s me ‘g tearnnamh ar neoin Ar a’ dtaobh eile ‘en teora seo thios Do thaobhnaigh an speirbhean im chomhair Dfhaig taomanac, breote, lag tinn Le haon ghean da mein is da clo Da breithre ‘s da beol tanai binn Do leimeas fe dhein dul ‘na treo Is ar Eireann ni neosainn ce hi._

 

Even after she finished her song, she continued to hum it as she washed herself beneath the surface of the water. Her movements, though calm and slow, sent ripples in the water around her; the droplets that ran down her body and fell back to whence it came created smaller ripples. She watched the sunrise and smiled lovingly at the sky above her, studying each color and shade the sun had created upon its blue canvas.

“What a beautiful dawn,” she said happily to herself, and she smiled at the beauty of nature all around her.

 _Indeed,_ Jack thought with a grin. His joy faded into panic, however, when she turned and faced the bank, where two sets of clothes and her boots were lying. Suddenly, his legs worked, but not as properly as he wanted them to, and he half-fell, half-ran down the hill and back towards camp just as Maddie faced where he was standing and walked out of the lake. Jack’s heart thundered painfully in his chest; he had never walked so briskly in all his life, and the second he got back to camp, he hastily began on the fire and took out their meager supply of food to start breakfast.

He was so caught up in acting normal and making food he didn’t realize Maddie had joined him five minutes later. He spooked terribly when she walked up to him and said, “Mornin’, Mister Marston. Up bright and early, I see.”

His face burned as he looked up at her. She was fully clothed and carrying her bar of soap, her hair still wet and holding a slight wave to it as it began to air-dry, but all he saw was her naked body. He flinched and looked away at the skillet he held above the small fire.

“M-mornin’, Miss Ross,” he stuttered. He couldn’t bear to look at her as she sat across from him on her bed roll. “S-so, uh… where’d you go?”

She tossed her dirty set of clothes and the bar of soup into her duffel bag. She wrung her hair of excess water as she replied, “I took a much-needed bath in the lake.”

“Oh.” Jack cleared his throat and did his best not to fidget in place.

She laughed and looked at him with an amused smirk. “What? Just because I dress like a man doesn’t mean I have to smell like one.” She retrieved a bottle of oil and a comb from her bag. “You ought to go do the same. I’m sure you smell worse than a skunk’s ass.” She looked him over and snorted. “And you need some primping up to do, Jack. My God, when’s the last time you got a haircut?”

“I don’t give a damn about that kind of stuff.”

“You should: you look like a grungy wild man.” She grinned mischievously. “Can I do it?”

He blinked and looked up at her. “Do what?”

“Cut your hair.”

“You ain’t touchin’ my head, lady.”

She chortled. “Ah, c’mon. What, you afraid of looking like a human for a change?”

He shot her a cross look. “I look just fine, miss. But the rule still stands: you ain’t touchin’ my head.”

“What about that mustache? And that grungy-lookin’ beard? I’d say you need a trim.”

“No!”

“Alright, alright,” she chuckled.

A moment of silence passed between them. Maddie dipped several drops of the oil into her hands, rubbed them together, and ran them through the ends of her hair before she combed it out. The sound of the meat cooking in the skillet sizzling and popping was the only thing they listened to as they went about their morning routine.

“Can I at least comb your hair?”

“Goddamn it, woman! Leave me be! You keep that shit up and you’re not gettin’ any breakfast! You hear me?”

“Sure thing, princess,” she goaded with a smirk.

Across from her, Jack sat smoldering in anger.

 

*             *             *

 

The ride to Armadillo was an uncomfortable one for Jack; he couldn’t stop thinking back to the glorious sight he saw earlier that morning, but he also couldn’t bear to look over at his companion as they rode side-by-side down the road towards town. Every time he looked over at her, he saw her naked, and he blushed a deep crimson and fidgeted in the saddle. Riding his horse alone proved rather…difficult, but he did his best to ignore it and think about other things. But time and time again, his thoughts returned to Maddie. Once again, he felt his heart drum against his chest and his breath come in ragged heaves. At one point, Maddie looked over at him and asked, “Jack, you doin’ all right? You’re awfully quiet this morning. Everything okay?”

“Y-yeah, um…I’m just, uh…tired.”

She didn’t look entirely convinced but she didn’t question him further as they rode closer to town.

Jack’s discomfort was temporarily relieved as they rode into Armadillo and stopped their horses in front of the sheriff’s office. His attention was snatched by the lackluster, unintelligent deputies who sat lounging in rocking chairs on the porch. Eli and Jonah instantly recognized him, and he them, and as Jack and Maddie dismounted their horses and hitched them, the delinquent deputies scrambled to their feet and drew their guns.

“You must be one dumb sum-bitch to come back to _my_ town,” Jonah spat at Jack as he and his partner stepped onto the porch steps.

Before Jack could throw back a nasty retort, Maddie stepped forward and said, “Back off, Jonah. He and I have come to see the sheriff. It’s imperative we speak to him as soon as possible.” She looked from him to Eli and back with annoyance. “Put your pea-shooters away, boys, before someone gets hurt.”

The men exchanged dubious looks before complying.

“Where’s Hershel?”

Jonah refused to speak further: he crossed his arms and looked away, leaving Eli to answer.

“He’s inside, as always.”

“Thank you,” Maddie said and tipped her hat to him. With one last sour look at Jonah, she entered the office.

Jack lingered behind. He looked the deputy over with a twisted scowl and asked, “What’s got your britches in a bunch, missy? Aren’t you happy to see me again?”

“I ain’t talkin’ to scum like you,” Jonah replied through his mouthful of chewing tobacco and spat out a glob of brown spit at Jack’s feet, some of it landing on his right boot. He grinned at him as a tendril of drool trickled down his chin.

Jack flicked the spit off his boot with a quick shake of his leg before stepping closer to the deputy. He grinned when the wiry, hot-headed man backed up a few steps. “You look a little nervous there, Jonah. You still afraid I’ll do somethin’ to ya?”

His bravery seemed forced as Jonah faced him with squared shoulders and a raised chin. “I ain’t afraid of you, Marston.”

Jack grinned and flashed his eyebrows. “Oh, really now? ‘Cause if I remember right, you were practically pissin’ yourself last time we saw each other. I reckon it had somethin’ to do with me sayin’ how easily I’d blow a hole right through that skinny chest of yours.”

 Jonah bristled with rage. “You shut yer mouth, boy, or else I’m gonna—”

“HEY!” Maddie yelled from inside the building. “If you dipshits are done comparing pricks, I’d like both of you and Eli to join me and Hershel inside! We have important matters to discuss!”

Both men had the sense to do as they were told; nevertheless, as they entered the room, Jonah glared at Jack, who sneered back at him. As he joined Maddie’s side, Jack listened in on their conversation. He followed her gaze and saw Hershel sitting at his desk, listening intently to what she was saying.

 “…and so Jack and I rode here as quick as we could to tell you what’s goin’ on, sheriff. We’re gonna need your help with this one.

Hershel leaned back in his chair and fiddled with his facial hair. He held a cup of coffee in his other hand and raised it to his lips. “Go on.”

“I hope you have quite a lot of able-bodied men here in Armadillo, ‘cause we’re gonna need as many men as possible if we’re gonna take down four gangs and their leaders in the mines of Gaptooth Breach.”

Hershel nearly choked on his coffee. He coughed and sputtered before demanding, “Four gangs in Gaptooth Breach?” He looked to Jack and asked, “You got a clue what she’s talkin’ about, Mister Marston?”

Jack nodded and explained what they’d discovered at Nekoti Rock, and with a grudging scowl, he told him of enlisting the help of Archer Fordham and his lawmen. When he was finished, Hershel stood and walked around his desk to stand before the bounty hunters with an awed expression. He retrieved two tin cups, filled them with coffee, and handed them to Maddie and Jack. “Jesus Christ. I’ve never heard of anything like this before. You sure it’s Nash and all them? I mean, it’s kind of convenient they’re all there in the mines for you, but takin’ on four gangs and bringin’ them four men in alive is gonna prove to be one hell of a challenge for you two.” He shook his head. “I don’t know if it can done.”

Maddie sipped at her coffee. “It _can_ and _will_ be done. I’ll see this thing through, sheriff. You _know_ I will.”

“Oh, I’m not doubtin’ you will, Miss Ross. It’s the odds of this all comin’ out in our favor is what’s got me worried.” He leaned back against his desk and drank a few hearty gulps of his coffee. He looked down at the cup in his hands and shook his head. A worried frown crossed his aging face, creating creases that had been there since the start of his career as a law officer. “How many men did you say there could be in the mines?”

“Forty or so, maybe more,” Jack answered.

“And you said Archer would be able to help you out?”

“Yes, sir,” Maddie said. “I told him to bring out the heavy artillery.”

Hershel looked up at her and blinked. “Meanin’ what exactly?”

Maddie grinned devilishly. “My usual, Hershel. You know what we need if we’re gonna be successful.”

“Hang on,” Jack said, turning to her. He looked her in the eyes. “What’s goin’ on here? What am I missing?”

“Oh, you’ll find out soon enough, Jack,” she said gleefully. “In bounty hunts such as this, when there are a lot of men that need mowin’ down, I find it most agreeable to use such a heavy weapon to do the job. It might be a bit bloody, but it will be most effective.”

His heart skipped a beat. “Hold on…You’re not talkin’ about a _Gatling gun_ , are you?”

She smiled up at him. “Oh, yes, indeed, my good man. And some high explosives, too.”

He stared at her.

Off to the side, Jonah leaned closer to Eli and whispered, “The bitch is _crazy_.”

In the time it took for Hershel, Jack, and Eli to blink, Maddie had turned, drawn her right pistol, and pointed it in Jonah’s face. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that,” she growled and gave him a most malicious glare. “What was that, _boy_?”

“I’d keep that tongue of yours in check, Jonah, while you still have it,” Jack warned with obvious delight.

Maddie and Jonah stared at each other for the longest moment.

“Alright, alright, let’s not get too trigger-happy _just_ yet,” Hershel admonished. “Maddie, put the gun away.”

With reluctance, she acquiesced, but not before stepping closer to Jonah and pressing the end of her gun’s barrel into his right cheek and hissing, “You’ll find first-hand how deadly I can be, deputy. Come tomorrow, you’ll be shittin’ bricks when you see what all I can do.”

“Maddie,” Hershel warned, his tone hardening with authority.

“Fine, but only if you keep this dog of yours on a tight leash from here on out.” She holstered her gun and added, “Otherwise, I might have to teach him a lesson on respect.”

 “That won’t be necessary, miss,” the sheriff replied. He flicked his gaze to his incompetent deputy and gave him a nasty look. “Jonah, why don’t you and Eli round up the men and bring them back here to my office? Make yourselves useful today, alright?”

 The deputies hastily complied and disappeared out the door.

“Now, when do we need to meet Archer and his men?”

“The day after tomorrow, at the Scratching Post,” Jack answered.

Hershel nodded in understanding and looked out the dusty window to his right. He frowned at the darkening sky above the town. “Storm’s comin’.”

The bounty hunters exchanged grim but brave expressions before they nodded and looked out the window as well.

“You don’t know the half of it, sheriff,” Maddie whispered.


	23. Subtlety

The gun was unlike any other firearm he’d ever seen: it gleamed maliciously in the morning light the next day. The wagon carrying its massive frame sat beside the dilapidated fence surrounding the Scratching Post; it was there bright and early to meet him and Maddie, along with Archer Fordham and fifty well-armed lawmen and government agents. Jack could’ve cared less about seeing Fordham and his followers as he and Maddie emerged from the shack they temporarily called home, but the second his eyes laid upon the Gatling gun, he was beyond excited.

“Oh, this is gonna be _fun_ ,” he couldn’t help but chortle as Fordham’s men tossed aside the burlap tarp that covered the great steel beast. He beamed gleefully up at the gun and eyed it with yearning. He grinned down at Maddie, who stood faithfully by his side with her arms crossed proudly across her chest. “So _this_ is the heavy artillery you were talkin’ about, huh?”

Though she was half-asleep, she seemed excited to have seen the gun and the army of lawmen arrive so early. “Yes, and let me tell you, Jack, it’s one hell of a thrill to fire it.” She met eyes with him, her own glittering with giddy anticipation. She motioned to the gun with a nod and asked, “You ever fired one of these before?”

“No, but that’s gonna change pretty damn soon.”

He watched as Maddie hopped into the wagon and began inspecting her prized possession for any signs of damage during its transportation.

“Hey, Jack,” she snickered and patted the barrel of the Gatling. “Mine’s bigger.”

“Shut up.” He looked towards the back of the wagon, and he spooked at the sight of a rather large quantity of explosives in wooden crates. Alongside the explosives were boxes upon boxes of ammunition, as well as food and other necessities for the army of lawmen. “Jesus Christ! What the hell’s with all the dynamite, Madeline?”

She grinned down at him. “I’ve got some plans for it all, don’t you worry.”

“And what is that exactly?”

Before she could respond, Fordham walked up to them, seemingly appearing out of nowhere with the two men who’d driven the wagon there. He and his men came to stand before Jack, and with a tired and aggravated sigh, he put his hands on his hips and asked, “You two about done here? We have work to do, and I’d like to get started.”

The humor now smote away from their conversation, Maddie and Jack looked upon the government agent with annoyance. Jack took a hesitant step away from the man; he looked from Archer to Maddie and back and swallowed. He felt the instinct to flee—if given the opportunity, certain bits of information would be spilt, and it would all go to hell from there.

“I think the second Hershel and his men get here, we should all speak on this,” Maddie suggested. She stood with her shoulders square and her hands on her hips. “Then and only then will we reach the best solution to tackle this. Tomorrow won’t be easy, you know…”

Archer sported the same posture and looked her in the eyes with conviction. “I understand what you’re saying, Miss Ross, but need I remind you that there are four _very large_ gangs in the mines just _miles_ down the road from us? We should figure out a plan as soon as possible, should the need to defend ourselves arise.”

She scoffed and hopped down from the wagon. She stood between Jack and Archer and retorted, “Should the need arise? Archer, all four leaders are holed up in the mines, and God forbid they set foot outside of ‘em! They know better than to just walk right out and give themselves up, or at least I think they would, since they’re the most wanted men on our list, and with Zebedee Nash as their leader, I think it’s safe to say they’re all relatively smart. We’re gonna have to be just as smart, if not more, and fight hard to infiltrate that gang hideout. It’ll be a full-frontal assault; I’ll be takin’ them out with the Gatling while your men and Hershel’s will fire alongside me. Together, we can mow the men down.”

“And what about the men inside?” Archer asked, crossing his arms tightly across his chest and cocking an eyebrow. “What then? Do you plan to just run right in there with your guns blazing and expect it to be smooth sailing henceforth?”

She glared darkly at him. “You and I both know it won’t be that easy. And I don’t do such reckless things anymore.”

Fordham snorted through his nose and shook his head. “Maddie, if there’s one thing I know, it’s that you make a _habit_ of doing your job on nothing but recklessness. I am always impressed by your success, however, and I tip my hat to you. Still, I find it hard to believe you’ll approach this job with caution.”

“She’s not stupid, you know,” Jack said. He took a protective step forward, shielding his companion from him as he looked the government agent over with contempt. “She’s a _damn_ good bounty hunter, and she makes all you lawmen and government agents look like a bunch of school boys with paper badges taped to their shirts. So don’t you _dare_ doubt her in _any_ way, Fordham.”

Archer blinked. “I’ve never doubted her, Jack, nor am I about to. It’s just that we need a better strategy than just spraying bullets everywhere.”

“You’re just tryin’ to look the better person outta this whole thing, aren’t you?” He narrowed his eyes and shook his head in disgust. “It’s all about appearance with you lawmen, isn’t it? All about deceit and fancy talk, huh?”

“Jack,” Maddie warned and grabbed his arm.

“I’d keep that trashy mouth of yours in check and listen to your partner’s heeding, Marston,” Fordham admonished with a twisted smile starting to creep around the corners of his mouth. “You don’t want anything bad to happen this day or tomorrow, do you?”

 _You wouldn’t DARE, you sack of shit_ , Jack almost hissed, his body going rigid with rage, but he clamped his jaw tight and scowled hatefully at him instead. He let Maddie pull him away from the impending argument.

“Jack, please,” Maddie cooed. Her other hand ran up and down his back to calm him; his heart fluttered at the touch. “Just take it easy, alright?”

Despite his pleasure and shock by her affectionate touch, he demanded, “With that son of a bitch around? I don’t think so.”

Maddie sighed. She looked from Archer to Jack and back before she stood directly between them and declared, “Alright, that’s it! If you two keep fightin’ like two little boys in a damn schoolyard, I’ll take my boot and shove it up _both_ of your asses! Now both of you _man up_ and just _deal with each other_ for _one day_ , alright?! We’re all gonna have to set aside our differences and work together if we’re gonna bring in these four gang leaders alive and somehow manage to keep _ourselves_ alive as well.”

The men grumbled incoherently and looked away from each other.

“Boys? Are we done here?”

They muttered their agreements, but not without hesitation or contempt.

She crossed her arms and looked at them with a satisfied grin. “Good. Now, I say we all just settle down and rest for a few hours. Archer, I’m sure you and your men need a good rest and somethin’ to eat. Look, why don’t we all wait and see if Hershel and his men will show up? If they do, then all four of us will scout around and see what we can find out. If we can get our bearings out here and get an idea on how best to tackle this situation, then we’ll be better off, but until then, let’s all just calm down and think about something else. Does that sound good and fair, gentlemen?”

Jack and Archer reluctantly nodded. Archer looked to his men and said, “Have the men make camp and rest. That’s all we can do for now.” As the men dispersed and relayed his orders, he turned his attention back to Maddie and added, “But if Hershel doesn’t show up by this afternoon, I say we scout without him. It’ll be his loss, but it’ll be more of ours if we don’t get a handle on this situation and figure out a plan. If we stay here for more than a few days, we’ll certainly be found out and it’ll all be over before it began.”

Maddie nodded. “I agree, Fordham. Then we’ll wait until noon.”

She and Archer exchanged finalizing gazes before the government agent wandered off to make camp, leaving Maddie and Jack alone by the wagon.

 

*             *             *

 

Hershel was right on time, leading thirty well-armed men to the Scratching Post with an hour to spare before deadline. Archer, Jack, and Maddie greeted him and his band of officers with grateful smiles, and upon his arrival, he was quickly informed of their plans. The sheriff agreed, and after ordering his men to make camp and rest, he hopped back on his giant dapple-grey gelding and waited for his companions to mount up. Jack and Maddie saddled their horses alongside Archer, who owned a gigantic black stallion similar to Jack’s father’s old horse, the stallion he’d lost so long ago in Tall Trees.

Once the four leaders were mounted and armed, they rode their horses out of the camp at a steady lope down the road. As they rounded the large rock formation that acted as their shield from the mines straight north of them, they followed the train tracks north. No conversation ever stirred as they made their way closer to the mines, and as the tracks curved past the gang’s hideout and headed east, a great tension filled the air that made even the horses on edge. The group quickly rode out of the sight and continued alongside the tracks. Off in the distance, the rickety white mansion of Tumbleweed could be seen sitting atop the hill that overlooked the ghost town. Being in the middle of two gang hideouts made Jack tremble in the saddle; Sundance blew nervously and held his head high in response to his rider’s unease.

A mile or so down the tracks, Archer reined his horse to the left and trotted his black steed up a hill and alongside a large rock formation. Hershel, Maddie, and Jack followed without question and eased their horses into step behind him. They were topping a rise and rounding the rock when Archer suddenly stopped his horse and stared open-mouthed before him at something the others couldn’t see quite yet. Curious, they reined their horses around Archer’s black stud and stopped beside them, forming yet another line as the four people looked forward.

Not two hundred yards in front of them sat a large wooden shed and what looked like a outlook with a mining wench hooked up to it. The tower was massive; Jack followed it upwards and gasped at the sight of two outlaws standing atop the outlook. He immediately pulled back on the reins and urged Sundance to back up out of sight.

Archer, Maddie, and Hershel noticed this and pulled their horses backwards as well. When they were hidden behind the rock, they looked to him and whispered, “What? What did you see?”

“There’s some men on top of that tower. I just hope they didn’t spot us.”

A moment of silence stretched between the four as they waited with bated breath. After five minutes or so, Maddie broke the silence. She nodded back to the direction of the outlook and whispered, “We need to get a better look. Jack, how many men did you see?”

“Two, but there could be more.”

“What do you think we should do?” Hershel asked and looked around at his companions.

Archer of course took the lead and said, “Let’s dismount and get a closer look, shall we?”

Jack and Maddie exchanged dubious looks before they dismounted. Hershel stayed behind and held onto their horses while they continued on foot and ascended the side of the boulder. Keeping crouched down, Archer led the bounty hunters up the slope, and as they came to the top, they lowered themselves to their bellies and continued up to the edge on their knees and elbows. Below and to their left resided the camp and the entrance to the mines; to their right lay the overlook and the shed.

“Alright, now,” Archer began as he took in their surroundings. “This is perfect.”

“So now what, oh fearless leader?” Jack goaded sarcastically and looked over at Archer with contempt. He lay on Archer’s left side, Maddie on his right, and he felt uneasy about not being by her side in the presence of the man he’d come to hate quite quickly.

Fordham shot him a deadly look. “You want to keep that up and get thrown in jail, Marston?”

Jack refused to respond as he and the government agent exchanged looks of distrust and adherence.

Maddie rolled her eyes. “Enough with the bitching, boys. Let’s get back to business and figure out a plan.”

“Marston, you got your binoculars on you?” Archer asked.

“Yeah. Why?”

He held out a hand to him. “Give it here, if you please.”

He retrieved it from his satchel and reluctantly handed it over to him.

Archer put the binoculars to his eyes and scanned the entire perimeter.

“What do you see?” Maddie murmured.

“There’s two men on top of the tower and two more in the shed.” He looked left and down at the camp. “Huh…There’s a shed just above the mine entrance. I can barely see the roof, but I can bet you any kind of money there’s some men in there.” He grinned as he pointed to where he was looking. “See that ledge over there, past the roof of that shed? That’s _directly_ above the mine entrance. If we can get the Gatling set up there, it would be a perfect spot to shoot down at the camp and take out all of the men guarding the entrance.”

“And how the hell are we gonna manage to drive the wagon there without being spotted and killed?” Jack questioned.

The government agent lowered the binoculars to give him a dirty look and respond icily, “First of all, Mister Marston, I’d appreciate it if you’d stop being a prick and listen to what I have to say. Need I remind you I am a government agent? You are in no position to give me and my men orders. Second, I have just the sort of plan that will prove to be most effective. Now, if you’re through insulting my intelligence and experience, I’d like to inform you of what will happen tomorrow morning.

It took Jack a moment to respond. “Then tell us your plan.”

Fordham looked from Jack to Maddie before beginning, “Alright, here’s what we’ll do…”

 

*             *             *

 

Swollen, dark grey thunderclouds travelled across the land from Armadillo and consumed the world that night, concealing the stars and moon from the world below. If there was anyone out on the harsh desert landscape of Gaptooth Ridge, their campfires would’ve made hardly any glow, for the blackness consumed all traces of light with a ravenous vengeance. Jack stood outside the shack that evening with his back leaning against the brick building. He stared up at the night sky and shook his head, hardly believing how dark it was and why the thunderstorm hadn’t come to pass yet. It was as if nature was on his side…for now. Still, he wondered whether or not the rain would hold until tomorrow morning, when they’d storm the mines and take in the four remaining outlaws left on his list. _If anything, the storm might help us tomorrow if it does come_ , he thought. _It would help give us extra cover._

He reached in his duster and fumbled through its inner pockets, looking for the cigarette he’d packed and rolled earlier that day. He retrieved it, along with a match, and lit up. The red cherry was the only light nearby: the army of lawmen that made camp all around the Scratching Post received orders not to make a fire, should there be any sort of scouts from the mines. Jack thought it unnecessary: they were far enough away from Gaptooth Breach to worry about any campfire being seen, plus the settlement was hidden from view by massive boulders.

His brow furrowed as he took a soothing drag of his cigarette and thought about the possibilities of the next day…and what arrangements should be made if all went downhill for him. He briefly thought about his abandoned ranch.  _It’s best I leave it be where it lies…or I could have Maddie take it over…or something. I suppose I just can’t leave it there to rot away…but then again, isn’t that what I’ve been doin’ this past year or so?_ He looked to his right, where Sundance and Gypsy were hitched to the fence alongside the long line of horses belonging to Fordham’s and Hershel’s men. _Sundance will become her horse if I die tomorrow, and_ _Féileacán_ _, too._ He scoffed with amusement. _Hell, she’ll have herself her own little herd if things don’t go as planned._ He watched the palomino stallion and the black rocky mountain mare brush muzzles and nicker to one another affectionately. He couldn’t help but grin as he wondered what their foal would be like if they ever bred the two beautiful mounts.

He pushed himself off the side of the shack and ambled over to the horses. The other horses looked Jack over and cocked their ears at him but otherwise paid him no mind as he stroked the horses’ muzzles and necks. He glanced around him and took in the absurd sight of so many small tents that housed sleeping lawmen. A twinge of uneasiness once again made its presence known within him; once again he was in a bind that was inescapable with who he considered were the worst bunch of people to work with.

Jack looked anxiously about for Fordham, but he was nowhere to be seen. He’d had enough of that man for one day, much less the rest of his life. It was all Jack could do to not go find the man and punch him senseless. _That son of a bitch shouldn’t have been such an uppity bastard to Maddie and me_ , he thought with a nasty scowl. _I know he’s got me by the balls, but that doesn’t give him the right to belittle us, since we’re just bounty hunters. But the_ nerve _of that bastard!_

A glowing red dot caught his attention from out of the corner of his eye. He faced the San Luis River and could barely make out the silhouette of a person in a duster and hat with the red cherry of a smoke coming to life in the darkness. Smoke rose around the person’s head as they sat on a rock overlooking the river and the edge of Mexico. With a grin, he made his way down to the riverbed.

She was sitting with her back to him, her hair tumbling down her shoulders and back. She sat motionless atop the rock, her cigar spitting up a tendril of smoke as she held it aloft in her right hand. She sat with her left leg drawn up by her left arm and her chin resting on her knee. As he approached, she lifted her head and looked back at him over her shoulder.

“Maddie? What are you doin’ out here all by your lonesome?” Jack asked as he came to stand beside her and the rock. He jerked a thumb back at the shack. “I thought you were inside sleepin’.”

She shook her head softly and brought the cigar to her lips. She took a long puff and let the smoke roll out of her mouth carelessly as she stared out at the water. She blinked slowly, a look of peace upon her beautiful face. “Thought I’d sit and enjoy the view.” She held up her cigar pointedly and added, “Besides, this is the last one in my bag, and I’ve been savin’ it for a special occasion.” She looked at him and smiled before scooting over and patting the rock. “Here, sit with me.”

Jack climbed up the rock and sat beside her. He felt like draping an arm over her shoulders, but he refrained from doing so for now as he sat staring out at the water as well. “What’s the special occasion?”

“You know why, Jack. Think about what tomorrow might bring.”

“Yeah. I know.” He brought his cigarette to his lips. As he blew the smoke out, he looked his beautiful companion over and bit down on his lower lip, not really knowing what to say. _Was_ there anything he could say, or was it best to just leave it be? He didn’t have the answer, so he followed her gaze and stared at the way the river rippled and flowed and how hazy the shores of Mexico appeared. He listened to the sound of the water as it rushed by, and the assuaging sound quickly put his mind at ease. “Now I know why you’re out here.”

Maddie smirked as she turned and faced him. The corners of her eyes creased in a loving, appreciative way and her eyebrows narrowed slightly. She gestured to the picturesque view before them with a wave of her cigar. “Isn’t it beautiful? It’s moments just like this that I choose to hold on to.” She sighed as she looked back in front of her. “It’s this beauty that makes me marvel at the world, ya know? Like we’re insignificant in this vast land, just ants that are just here for a small amount of time before we’re just,” she gestured at the air before her with a sweep of her hand and made a whooshing sound, “gone with the wind that takes us at our time of death. I wish more people could see the world as I do. They just miss so damn much, Jack.”

“Well, I’m sittin’ here with ya, so do I count?” Jack chuckled. He took another drag of his cigarette as he waited for her reply.

She grinned as she brought her cigar up for another puff. The smoke rolled off her lips as she answered, “Yeah, it seems you’re the only man around here who chooses to see what’s _really_ out in front of him.”

“Yeah, that ain’t no joke,” he said and looked at her fondly _. And what a sight it is_ , he thought with a smirk. He draped an arm over Maddie’s shoulder. He was delighted when she scooted closer to him.

Oblivious to his bliss, she nodded back to the camp of sleeping men and sighed through her nose. “They’re all in their tents sleepin’ when they’re missin’ out on… _this!”_ She waved her hand before her at the spectacular view that she cherished.

“Yeah, you’re right,” he agreed, feeling like the luckiest man around. “That’s true, Maddie, but they’re gettin’ some sleep before the big shoot-out goes down,” he reasoned. He clasped her shoulder and gently shook it. “Which is what _you_ should be doin’ as well, little missy.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but he held up a hand to politely silence her.

“Trust me, I know what you’re talkin’ about when you speak of the beauty of this land,” he continued with a knowing smirk. “Believe me, I’ve come to appreciate it just as much as you have. You remember me talkin’ about when I was ridin’ around before I got arrested? When it was just me and my horse, when I was lookin’ for…well, hell, I don’t know… I do remember lookin’ around me and just thinking, “Isn’t this all just something?” I know what you’re talkin’ about, miss. The land we live on is marvelous, and it’s great you think that, too.”

Their eyes met in a wondrous moment of connection. She gazed into his eyes with touching appreciation, and she brought up her other hand to touch the side of his face delicately. A flash of uncertainty danced across her eyes, but then a brave countenance came upon her face as she drew his face nearer to hers with her hand.

His heart nearly stopped when she gingerly kissed his cheek.

“I’m glad you see the way I do, Jack,” she whispered as she leaned away. She took a few nonchalant puffs off her cigar.

Jack sat motionless as he turned and stared at her.

She looked back at him and looked him over. “Jack? You okay?”

He was lucky enough to open his mouth, but his voice failed him the second he tried to mutter a response.

Maddie’s eyes widened in regret and horror, and she scooted away from him. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to…It just happened, and I…I’m sorry.”

“N-n-n-no, it’s okay,” he stammered, his arm hovering the air where her shoulders had been. “Really, it is. It’s just…”

She gave him an apologetic smile. “Unprofessional. I know.” She looked to the side and sighed. “I’m sorry.”

Jack reached out for her, hoping his touch would reassure her. “Madeline,” he uttered and rested his hand on her shoulder.

She shied away from his touch, she slid off the rock, and hopped down to the ground. She took one last long puff of her cigar before she flicked it into the river and blew out the smoke in a hurry.  Without looking at him, she breathed, “I’m sorry”, turned, and hastily retreated to the shack.

Jack watched her go, his hand still reaching out for her. He sat on the rock utterly confused, not really knowing what just happened. A tumultuous tidal wave of emotions swirled within him as he slid off the rock, finished his cigarette, and flicked it into the river. He shuffled up the small incline towards the shack, hoping she’d be asleep in the only bed there was by the time he’d enter and take his place on the floor across the room from her.


	24. The Storm Breaks

An explosion sounded, startling Jack awake. He shot up into a sitting position with a jolt of fear, thinking they were under attack. He reached for his guns that lay beside his bed roll on the floor, but a soothing voice materialized in the darkness nearby.

“Easy, Jack. It’s just a thunderstorm.”

Sure enough, like the rapid gunfire of a Gatling, the rain began to pelt the roof of the shack. Mother Nature let loose a torrential storm that was long overdue for Gaptooth Ridge. A flash of lightning streaked across the sky in the distance, followed by another booming thunderclap. Outside, the horses shrieked and whinnied in fear.

Panting from his start, Jack looked around in the dark. He noticed the fire had long died out in the fireplace, and as his eyes adjusted, he slowed his breathing. Sleep begged him to return; he ran a hand over his face and groaned, his mind and body numbed with exhaustion. Once he had settled in for the night, it was difficult for him to fall asleep after what happened, and what didn’t. She was already in bed with her back facing him when he entered the shack; he took it as a sign she didn’t wish to speak with him. For what seemed like hours, he thought about her and what he should’ve said or done, what he would’ve changed had he been the one with more courage and experience, what he could’ve told her as he held her close and looked into her entrancing brown eyes.

 _I should’ve kissed her_ , he thought sluggishly as he looked around the room once again. His heart leapt into his throat as his eyes snagged on Maddie’s silhouetted form standing in the doorway. She stood leaning against the door frame watching the storm, a cup of coffee cradled in her hands and her right leg crossed over her left. Even in the extreme low light, she was beautiful, rugged, and fierce. She looked almost peaceful, stoic, the personification of the calm before the storm fully let itself loose. The wind from the thunderstorm blew her hair and duster back, making her look even more majestic. She raised her cup of coffee to her lips and took a reflective drink; the steam swirled and danced above the black liquid and caressed her face.

“What time is it?” Jack grumbled, his voice hoarse from sleep. He ran a hand over his face again.

Maddie withdrew her pocket watch from inside her duster and looked down at it. “Just past three o’clock.” She returned the watch back inside her duster and resumed watching the thunderstorm. “It’s almost time.”

Jack grunted as he struggled to his feet. His body, stiff and sore from sleeping on the cold, hard floor, creaked and popped as he shuffled over to his companion.

“We’ll need to start gettin’ ready soon,” she murmured and sipped at her coffee again as he came to stand beside her. She motioned to the table behind them with a nod. “There’s some coffee for you.” She glanced over at him and smirked. “Looks like you need it, Marston.” Her eyes lingered on him for a moment longer before she looked away. She switched her weight from one boot to the other.

Jack took the hint and looked away, frowning. He shuffled over to the table and poured himself some coffee. He stood leaning against the table and drank his coffee, not liking being awake at such an ungodly hour and certainly not enjoying the awkward silence between him and his partner. She refused to look back at him; she seemed too preoccupied in watching the storm to take any notice of him. Jack frowned deeply and sighed, hurt and offended but nevertheless understanding why she was shutting him out.

_I should’ve kissed her…_

Clearing his throat, he ambled up to her and leaned against the other side of the door frame. He lifted the cup to his lips and took another sip of his coffee. “This storm will help us today.”

“Mm-hmm.”

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “Maddie, I…um…I have somethin’ important to tell you.”

A look of fear settled across her face as she turned her head and stared at him.

Jack looked her in the eyes. He could’ve said how he felt about her, he could’ve confessed his sin, or he could’ve shut his mouth and stopped speaking, but instead, he said, “I want you to have my horse and all of my things if today doesn’t go well for me.”

Maddie relaxed from her tense stance and nodded. “Of course, Jack. Same goes to you.”

He looked out at the storm in unison with her. “And you can have my ranch.”

She looked back at him. “Pardon?”

“Nothing’s bein’ done with it anyway, so if I die today, I want you to find some use for it. Hell, you can _live_ there if you wish. Just do me a favor: make sure I’m buried alongside my parents.”

Her mouth dropped open and her eyebrows raised in speechless shock.

Jack looked her in the eyes. “I’m serious, Maddie. It’s all yours if I die.”

She nodded and closed her mouth. Her brow furrowed in worry…before a look of determination set itself on her beautiful features. She shook her head and pursed her lips. “No. That’s not gonna happen today. I won’t let it.”

He smirked at her as he raised his cup to his lips. Before he took a drink, he said, “I’m not your first priority, miss. We’ve gotta bring in those crooks, remember?”

“And I’ll do that while I look after you.”

He snorted with amusement and cocked his head slightly. “Maddie, c’mon. Be serious now.”

She faced him fully. “I _am_ bein’ serious, Jack. Nothing’s gonna happen to you today. I’ll make certain of it.”

He didn’t know what to say to her as he stared into her eyes. After a moment, he grinned and said, “Then I won’t let nothin’ happen to you, either.”

She smiled appreciatively at him. Their eyes lingered on each other for a moment before they turned and watched the thunderstorm unfold around them.

 

*             *             *

 

Jack sat atop Sundance hiding around the corner from the outlook above the mine campsite, drenched and shivering in the saddle as the rain continued to pour. His horse wasn’t too happy about being up so early and standing in the rain, either: his ears were pinned flat against his head and his head were lowered. Jack was grateful for his father’s hat and duster, but the rain still continued to bother him. _It can’t be helped_ , he reasoned. _I’ve only got one chance to get this done right._

Behind him, Maddie sat in the driver’s seat of the wagon looking just as perturbed as he was. Her hair was plastered against her drenched duster; the rain dripped and dribbled over the crown of her hat and down the brim. She was a shivering, wet, miserable mess, as was Gypsy (who was tied to one side of the wagon) and the horses that were hitched to the wagon. The bounty hunters exchanged tired, anxious looks. A thunderclap suddenly sounded and caused the horses to jump and whinny in fear. Jack looked into the wagon where the Gatling gun and explosives sat waiting underneath the tarp.

“It’s now or never, Jack,” Maddie said. “Get to it.”

Jack dismounted and made his way around the large boulder. As the mining wench and overlook came into his sight, he paused and looked back at his partner. She gave him an encouraging smirk and urged him onward with a jerk of her head; he nodded, turned back around, and withdrew two throwing knives from his satchel. Holding them at the ready, he snuck around the rock and jogged forward, forsaking his cover only to rush forward and hide behind a cluster of boulders. His heart hammered in his chest; the rush of adrenaline and the surge of caffeine from the coffee earlier woke him up and set his mind into survival mode. Cautiously, he peeked around his cover and looked for any signs of movement on and around the outlook.

Immediately, he spotted two men beside the shed, one leaning against the east side of the building and the other inside sitting in a chair beside one of the windows. Both looked just as miserable and exhausted as he was. With the aid of the booming thunderstorm and the blinding darkness brought on by it, Jack silently and swiftly snuck up to the building, immediately kneeling the second his left shoulder touched the wooden siding. He winced when his injury gave him a sharp stab of pain, reminding him that it was still not fully healed, and with a grimace and a half-shrug, he mentally blocked out the pain and focused on the task at hand.

He glanced up at the top of the overlook, and as he squinted and blinked away the fat raindrops, he frowned as he saw two more men stationed there. _Fuck_. _I hope they didn’t see me._ He looked to the lamp that hung adjacent to the second ladder that led to the top of the outlook _. I need to light that as soon as I can_. With a nod of encouragement, he gathered his bravery and silently snuck around the doorway.

The man inside was fast asleep. Jack took his time creeping up to the man, and when he came to stand behind him, he stood up, wrapped a hand over the man’s mouth, and slit his throat with one of the throwing knives. He didn’t let go of the man as he gurgled and struggled in his grasp. Blood spurted and spilled down the front of the man’s shirt and across Jack’s forearms. The second the man stopped squirming, Jack laid him silently down onto the ground before making his way back out the building.

The second man, who hadn’t moved from his position, stood obliviously five paces before him as Jack chanced a peak around the corner. _This poor bastard doesn’t even have a clue_ , Jack thought with a wicked grin as he stepped around the side of the shack, drew up his arm, aimed, and threw a throwing knife at the man. The man gave a weak shriek of surprise and excruciation as the knife buried itself into his neck; he crumpled to the ground a moment later in a puddle of his own blood.

Jack jogged over to the wooden stairs adjacent to the wench system and ascended them as quietly as he could. Every so often, his boots would slip on the wet wooden steps, but he’d quickly recover his footing and continued. He quickly made his way up the first ladder, then up the second flight of stairs. As he began to climb up the second ladder, he paused and grew curious as he heard the men above him conversing. Even through the thunderstorm, their words reached loud and clear to him, and he had to grin at the absurdity of it as he eavesdropped below them.

“Ya ever wonder why we’re here?” one of them asked.

“Hell, I don’t know, pard,” the other responded. “It’s one of life’s great mysteries, isn’t it? I mean, are we the product of some cosmic coincidence, or is there really a god? I don’t know…but it sure as hell keeps me up at night.”

A pause ensued between the men above. Jack bit down on his lip and fought the laughter that threatened to tumble up his throat and out his mouth; he tucked his face into the crease of his right elbow.

“No, ya idjit! I mean why are we _here_ , on a goddamn wooden platform gettin’ rained on, in the middle of goddamn nowhere, in goddamn four o’clock in the mornin’?!” He paused to most likely shake his head. “The fuck was all that talk about _God?_ ”

“Nothin’,” said the other in an embarrassed mutter.

The first man sighed. “Imma regret this, but…do you wanna talk about it?”

“Nope.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yep.”

“Good.”

Jack took the opportunity to step up onto the platform and throw a knife into the first man’s throat. As he drew back his hand to throw the second knife at the other man, Jack grinned and said, “I sure hope there’s a god waitin’ for you where you’re goin’, mister.” He threw the knife at him and struck him down as the weapon dug itself in the man’s chest. The man stared at him with open-mouthed shock as he fell to his knees then face-down onto the outlook floor. Jack retrieved his throwing knives from their bodies, wiped the blood on their rain-soaked clothes, and descended the ladder and steps.

He passed by the lamp and made his way back down to the ground, planning to come back to it and light it at the best time when all potential threats were taken care of. As he landed back down to the ground at the foot of the stairs, he glanced over where Maddie and the wagon were hiding around the corner of the large boulder. Though she and the horses weren’t in sight, he grinned confidently over in their direction.

He turned and headed east, towards the ridge that overlooked the mines. He ran through the sludgy mess that the rain caused upon the ground, slipping and sliding every so often as he made his way to the other shed that sat against the side of the ridge. He stopped above the shed and grinned as he looked about. To his right, he saw Archer’s army of Blackwater law officers lining the west ridge; they stood half-way hidden behind the rocks that lined the road. He looked to his left and saw Hershel and his men were also in position, concealed behind the rocks and foliage that sat abreast of the trail that led down into the camp. Twenty or so men were stationed near the drop-off and ridge that overlooked the west side of the camp.

 _Good_ , he thought with a gleeful smile. _Everyone’s in place. All that’s left is to take these dumb bastards out and go light the lamp._

He looked about and spotted a nearby cacti; unfurling his lasso from his satchel, he went over to it and tied the rope around the base of the plant before dropping it over the side of the ridge. It was quite near the shack, and he temporarily became fearful of being spotted or heard, but he swallowed down his trepidation and climbed down the ridge with the aid of his lasso. He landed softly onto the ground below and slunk up against the side of the shack and around the corner. He stopped underneath the window beside the door and chanced a peak through the dirty glass.

There were two grungy-looking men sitting across from each other at a table with cards in their hands. A half-empty bottle of whiskey sat between them.

“I got three pair,” one of them slurred. He looked victorious as he slapped his cards down on the table.

The other man looked dubiously down at the cards and cocked an eyebrow. “You got three cards.”

“I do?” He looked down at his hand and blinked drunkenly. “I got three twos. Two’s a pair, ain’t it?”

“No. Two’s a two, ya dumbass.” The other laid his cards down and sighed. “Well, how in Sam hell does this work? I get beat by a drunk hick who thinks he’s got three pairs. What a load of bullshit.”

His drunken comrade hiccupped and chuckled. “I’ve just got that there common sense ‘n’ wit about me, that’s all.”

The other rolled his eyes and buried his face in his hand. “Jesus fuckin’ Christ, Bill. I swear if I don’t beat you by the time we head out, Imma shoot you dead.” He waved a hand at the cards, chips, and money between them. “Now deal, ya drunken prick.”

Jack grinned and shook his head. He took a step closer to the door, intending to stop and prepare himself before he burst through it to kill the brainless crooks, but he gasped loudly as his foot scuffed the bottom corner and caused it to creak open with an unbearable shrill. He froze in the doorway, eyes wide and scared stiff like a coyote caught stealing leftovers at a campsite. The men at the table turned in their seats and stared right back at him, looking just as surprised as he was.

“Who the fuck are you?” the drunken man demanded. He closed one eye to get a better view of the trespasser as he leaned forward and swayed in his seat.

“Uh…” Jack looked from one man to the other and back. He hid the throwing knives behind his back as he stood up straight and stuttered, “I’m, uh…I’m here to switch with you guys.” He jerked his right thumb over his shoulder. “It’s time for you two to head on up there.”

“It is?” the less inebriated one asked, blinking. He looked at his pocket watch and furrowed his brow at it. “It’s not even ten after four. The hell’s goin’ on here? Boss man Nash told us to switch every two hours.”

“Yeah, well…uhh…Guess he wants to keep us all wide-eyed and ready.” Jack’s heart thundered in his chest. The tension cut at him like the slow slicing of a knife across skin.

“Who are you again?” the drunk one asked and sat up in his chair. He looked Jack over with one eye and hiccupped. “Don’t think I’ve ever seen you before, boy. You look new.”

“Yes, I’m, uh…I’m—I’m new.” Jack flashed a charming smile at the men and chuckled his nervousness away. “Been here ‘bout a week now.”

“We’ve only been camped here for three days,” the other one said and looked at Jack suspiciously.

Jack ducked his head down into his right shoulder, feeling his stomach sink. “Shit,” he whispered to himself before he straightened back up, brought up his hand, and threw a knife at the closest man. The knife struck the less intoxicated man in the chest. He slunk forward with an egregious moan, and he fell heavily out of the chair and onto the hard dirt floor. His drunken partner barely had enough time to let out a shriek before the second knife caught him in the neck and silenced him forever; he slumped forward in the chair and collapsed upon the table, staining the wood as well as the cards, chips, and dollar bills upon it with a growing puddle of blood. Jack leaned heavily against the threshold and let out a massive sigh of relief.

 _Christ alive, that was TOO close_ , he thought as he pushed himself off the doorway and trudged back through the mud and pouring rain. He made his way back to his lasso and climbed up the side of the small ridge, using mostly his right arm. He made haste back to the outlook, breathing hard as he sloshed through the slippery mud and then up the wet steps of the wooden tower. At last, he made it to the lamp, and after a brief struggle with his bundle of matches he’d wrapped up and tucked away in one of his inner duster pockets, the signal was lit. He climbed back down the second ladder and made his way back down to the shed.

Maddie drove the wagon around the corner of the massive rock formation. Sundance and Gypsy trotted alongside the wagon, their ears still plastered flat against their heads. As the wagon neared the outlook and the shed, she pulled the horses to a stop long enough for Jack to untie Sundance from the wagon and mount up. Sundance blew loudly and shook himself just as Jack sat down in the drenched saddle; Jack grumbled and glared down at the horse.

The bounty hunters exchanged diligent nods before Maddie flicked the reins, urging the horses to lope forward. Jack rode Sundance abreast of her, his pistol at the ready should their cover be blown and the need to protect her arise, as she drove them down the trail, around the corner, and up to the shed where Jack had slain the last two men moments ago. She stopped the horses beside the shed, only to pull back on the reins and back the wagon up to the drop-off directly above the mine entrance. Jack stopped Sundance beside the edge and guided her with hand gestures, occasionally looking about to make sure no one had noticed their presence while they prepared for the siege. When the wagon was in place, Maddie flicked the reins to stop the horses before she hopped into the back of the wagon, stuffed a couple sticks of dynamite into her satchel, and uncovered the Gatling from its protective tarp. The rain clinked and pattered against the monstrous firearm; its barrel glimmered in the dim light.

Without saying a word, Jack gestured to Maddie. She handed him five sticks before she began the process of loading the gargantuan gun.

“You sure know your way around that thing,” he murmured as he tucked the sticks of dynamite into his satchel.

“Landon Ricketts taught me a thing or two back when I was down in Mexico,” she responded as she finished up with her prized possession. “This beast will mow all those bastards down there lickity-split. This’ll be easy.”

Jack scoffed. “Easy for _you_ to say. You aren’t the one who’s gonna lead the charge.”

She glanced apologetically at him; however, she grinned the second she noticed jealousy in his brown eyes. “You wanna shoot it, don’t you?”

He nodded exuberantly. “Of course, I do!” He looked at his firearms and frowned. “This isn’t fair, damn it.” He gazed at the Gatling with longing.

“You’re not gonna throw a fit, are you, Marston?”

“If I do, will I get to shoot it?”

She smirked and shook her head. “Hell no.”

He sighed and sagged his shoulders. A part of him played it up, but another part also was extremely disappointed. “You’re lucky: you get to do the fun part.”

“Until the criminals turn around and start shootin’ up at me,” she countered with a snort. She stood leaning against the Gatling with one elbow casually atop the barrel. She looked down at the camp before them and scanned the area. She shook her head. “There isn’t a soul out there.”

“Well, if you were them, would you wanna be out in this thunderstorm?”

“Not particularly. Then again, I’m not too fond of bein’ in this downpour myself freezin’ my—”

An explosive thunderclap sounded above them, making them and the horses spook. Sundance reared and whinnied; Jack reined him back down to all fours as fast as he could. The team of horses hitched to the wagon tossed their heads and flinched terribly. Maddie looked back at them with a pitiful expression, knowing she really couldn’t calm them if she tried. She looked back at Jack and said, “It’s time we get this thing started: Archer and Hershel are in place. The gun’s ready, and so am I. It’s now up to you to start the show, Jack.”

The bounty hunters exchanged serious expressions.

“Let’s end this,” Maddie said.

Jack said nothing as he walked his horse around the wagon. Before he kicked the palomino into a lope in the direction of Hershel’s men, he looked back at her over his shoulder. Despite the torrential rain beating down upon her, she looked beautiful. The raindrops fell thick and fast down the brim of her hat; some even ran along the bottom of the brim and trickled onto her face. The darkness from the storm kept her in the same light as he always saw her: alluring and semi-visible, more than enough to keep him interested in her and keep him guessing at who she really was. A flash of lightning intensified the mysticism he saw in her, making his breath catch in his throat as he stared at her; a boom of thunder muted her voice as she said his name questioningly. She mirrored the same look he gave her, to his surprise: her brown ovals studied him intently, darting across his face and taking him in one last time should things go astray.

With a gentlemanly smile and a tip of his hat, he said, “Good luck to you, Miss Madeline Ross. I hope to see you soon right and well. If not, it’s been a pleasure workin’ with you, darlin’.”

Her mouth dropped open in shock. Before she could respond, he urged his horse into a lope down the trail and past Hershel’s men.

As he rode the large cluster of Armadillo’s finest, they watched him reverently. Though he kept his head bowed and hid his face from the pouring rain, Jack couldn’t help but feel like a lone hero being heralded for his bravery as he charged into battle. _I wonder if this is what it’s like over in Europe_ , he thought, being somehow reminded of the Great War being fought overseas. He sat up straighter in the saddle and puffed his chest out, feeling inexplicably powerful.

Sundance continued down the muddy trail that led straight into the enemy’s camp. Jack pulled the stallion to a slippery stop facing the old rickety house that sat abreast of the mine entrance. He squinted as he scanned the area; visibility wasn’t the greatest because of the darkness and the rain. He saw no one, but he knew better. There was an army of criminals and crooks waiting to shoot him down, but he felt no fear as he called out to them.

“Alright, you sons-a-bitches!” he thundered. “Come on out and face me like men!” He kicked his horse’s sides as he simultaneously pulled up and back on the reins, making Sundance rear. As his horse landed back down on all fours, he called out again, “C’MON, YOU COWARDS! I AIN’T GOT ALL GODDAMN DAY! I KNOW YOU’RE ALL OUT THERE, SO MAKE A MOVE AND SHOOT!”

When no answer came, when no one appeared, Jack grew irritated and drew his pistol. He pointed it at one of the windows of the house and fired. The glass shattered, sending multitudinous shards of glass raining down upon the ground and the floor inside the house.

It was the single shot that started it all.

Sundance shrieked and reared wildly, nearly throwing Jack out of the saddle, as an innumerable amount of criminals popped up from behind their cover that littered the campsite. A volley of gunfire sounded, but the majority of the bullets were merely meant to scare the horse and his rider off as they buried themselves into the ground at Sundance’s grey hooves; the men seemed hesitant to point their guns at Jack. As the stallion wheeled around and took off, Jack turned in the saddle and fired off several shots, ending the lives of three men before he was out of range.

Jack let his horse barrel down the road until he came upon the railroad tracks. Then, he reined his horse to the left and followed the road back around where Hershel and his men were in position and ready to fire. Thirty of the sheriff’s men were mounted and had their guns at the ready, and as Jack rode past them and down the same trail he went down a minute ago, the lawmen rode after him with their guns held aloft.

The second they rode down into the camp, it was a cacophony of gunfire, sloshy hoof falls, and excruciating screams. The men who were quick enough to dismount and run for cover followed Jack’s lead as they spread themselves out on the farthest side of the camp. Jack dismounted and slid to the nearest bundle of barrels and wooden crates; the second he was safe from the spray of gunfire, he looked around and did a quick head-count of the surviving men he led. There were twenty left, all crouching down behind their cover and taking shots whenever the enemy army paused to reload.

As Jack popped up from his cover and set his sights on a nearby outlaw, his attention was snagged when, above them all, Maddie pointed the large barrel of the Gatling down at the camp with a wicked smile upon her face. The wind began to pick up, tossing not only her duster but her wet hair about in thick chunks, with some strands sticking to her face. He watched as she placed her right hand on the crank, and with a sinister look that sent a shiver through his body, she grasped the crank firmly and pushed it forward. Not a single man survived the brutal onslaught: Maddie made sure of that as she swiveled the Gatling around, spraying bullets and mowing down the enemy. Jack was spellbound. With a disbelieving grin and a shake of his head, he thought, _My God, Maddie. You sure are one hell of a woman._

The second the Gatling gun began firing down at the criminals, more gunfire was added, thanks to Archer’s and Hershel’s men. With gunfire coming at the criminals from all sides, the men began to panic. At first, most of them stayed and fired, but as their numbers quickly decreased, the remaining men abandoned their cover and frantically ran back to the mine entrance.

Within a matter of minutes, it was all over. No criminal outside of the mines was alive.

Jack and his men stood up from behind their cover, their guns held at the ready. The men looked about at one another, all sharing the same shocked and adrenalized countenances. Jack took a few refreshing breaths as he looked around. He was alive…for now.

Soon, Maddie, Hershel, Archer, and the rest of the law enforcement rode down to join Jack and his small band of men. They dismounted and charged toward the mine entrance, their guns at the ready. Maddie ran up to Jack’s side, and with a quick look of camaraderie, they ran forward alongside the rest of the men and jogged into the dark, ominous mines.


	25. Choices

The darkness of the tunnels was the first thing that Jack noticed; were it not for the lamps and flickering light bulbs above their heads, they would’ve been blind as he, Maddie, Archer, Hershel, and the rest of the law enforcement charged forward with their guns at the ready. He was grateful to be out of the pouring rain at last, but he traded one uncomfortable situation for another as he ran down the abandoned mining tracks and into the dark winding belly of the underground. Adrenaline surged anew throughout his veins like a second wind, and with that surge came another burst of power and fearlessness the likes of which he never knew existed within him.

 It was only moments into the charge that they received gunfire from the criminals hiding within the tunnels.

The four brave leaders took cover alongside their fellow lawmen as a volley of gunfire came their way. Within two seconds, three of their men were killed and fell dead to the ground. Jack and Maddie took cover behind a wooden crate adjacent to the left wall of the mines; they took turns firing at the enemy, each time successfully bringing down a man within two to three shots. To their right, Hershel and Archer shared cover behind a massive rock, while behind them, their men settled behind crates and retreated around the corner. The gunfire was ceaseless.

 _These bastards ain’t lettin’ us in without a fight_ , Jack thought with a scowl as he popped up from cover long enough to take aim and shoot down a nearby criminal that was unintelligently firing away his revolver at anything that moved in front of him. The second he’d shot the man, he crouched back down beside Maddie.

“Jesus, this is a warzone,” Maddie yelled over the storm of guns firing and men shouting. She glanced over at him as she reloaded her semi-automatic pistols. Her fingers worked quickly as she jammed the bullets into the magazines before sliding them into back into the pistols and pulling the toggles up. She peered over the crate and fired off four rounds, duel-wielding her guns and growling in frustration. She bent back down as gunfire slammed against their cover and shouted, “This is gettin’ old real fast. We gotta take these bastards down quick!”

“I agree,” Jack answered. When the gunfire lessoned on their cover, he peered over the crate, aimed at the closest five men, and fired off five rounds in rapid succession. The men fell dead and Jack knelt back down behind his cover.

“Damn, Marston! You can sure kill a man if you set your mind to it.”

“This is one of those times where morality or empathy is out of the question, Maddie,” he replied coldly as he reloaded his high-powered pistol. “These men need to be killed, and we need to bring in the last four outlaws on our— _my_ list.”

Two more minutes passed before the last of the outlaws were gunned down. The lawmen surged forward like a navy-blue tidal wave, flooding the mines and cleansing it of the scum that permeated the underground. Though their numbers were lessened by about eight men, they still charged forward with fearless conviction.

Archer stopped the charge as they came upon a fork in the railroad tracks. Wooden planks pointed in the direction of the tunnels described. He looked back at the men and said, “Alright! Maddie, you and I will take the left fork! My men will follow. Hershel, Jack, you and your men take the right tunnel. Meet us at the core. Fight your way through! Kill all who don’t surrender, and whatever you do, do NOT kill the four men we’re after! Subdue them and arrest them! Now let’s get this done!” As quick as he gave the orders, he turned and jogged down the left tunnel.

Archer’s men ran past Maddie as she lingered and looked over at Jack a few feet away from her. Their eyes met; the worry she projected to him was painful to receive as Jack stared right back with the same expression. He wanted to say something to her, but his voice caught in his throat as his gaze remained on her and her alone in such a dark, desolate place littered with death and dust.

“Maddie, get the lead out!” Archer’s voice resonated from around the corner. “Let’s go! I need you up here!”

Her hair fanned out as her head spun around to the sound of his voice. She frowned with indecision as she glanced back at Jack, torn between following Fordham’s orders and staying true to her self-proclaimed duty to protect him. Jack smirked reassuringly at her and nodded, insisting she follow before she was left behind. After another moment of deliberation, she returned the smile and nod before turning and running after her comrades, her hair and duster billowing behind her as she disappeared around the corner.

Jack watched her go, feeling the icy hand of worry clutch at his heart. “Be safe,” he uttered.  Swallowing down his trepidation, he turned and followed Hershel and his men down the opposite tunnel, his high-powered pistol held at the ready.

“C’mon, Jack!” Hershel shouted and waved a hand to continue the charge onward. He and his men started down the right tunnel. It only took a moment for Jack to rush ahead, passing men on both sides of him as he pushed to the front of the group—he was to lead these men alongside Hershel and successfully bring in the four bounty targets, or die trying.

Another group of outlaws quickly made their presence known the moment Jack caught up to Hershel at the front. He and the older sheriff took cover behind some crates, as did most of the men who followed them. It was the same as the first encounter with the enemy: bullets flew from both oppositions; screams of excruciation echoed throughout the tunnels; blood splattered across the rock walls and stained the dirt floor. After successfully killing off three men and dropping back down behind his cover, Jack happened to look back at his men to see how they were fairing. He gasped as he saw five of them drop dead one after the other, as if it were timed and rehearsed. One of them was a mere three feet away from him. He flinched and grimaced as blood sprayed out of the man’s chest and flecked onto his face and arm. He grit his teeth as he wiped the blood off with the back of his hand. He mentally pushed aside the horror of what he just witnessed, gathered his bravery, and forsake his cover to fire rapidly at the enemy. Beside him, Hershel joined in, and they took down four criminals.

A tense three minutes passed as the two groups fired at each other belligerently. Two more of Jack and Hershel’s men fell dead before the siege was over and the opposing side was defeated. As the heroes stood up from behind their cover and jogged over the dead crooks, Jack and Hershel exchanged dubious looks.

“These bastards are ruthless and stupid,” Hershel wheezed as he ran beside Jack. “Not one of ‘em even considered defeat. Have you noticed that?”

“Yeah,” he answered. “It’s all bullets and no bullshit for these people. Wonder why that is.”

“My guess is the leaders told ‘em all to kill or be killed.”

“Could be.”

Their conversation ended as the tunnel gave way to a large room full of outlaws, crates, and barrels, some filled with dynamite. The second their presence was known, the outlaws opened fire. Jack and the others dove for cover as the siege of bullets flew their way.

Once again, Hershel and Jack shared cover behind a large boulder. Jack looked back at his men and saw they were fairing about the same as he and Hershel were: powerless against the gunfire.

“Jesus, it’s as if they’ve got a Gatling or somethin’!” Jack shouted, his voice sounding so muted and insignificant against the gunfire.

“I sure as hell hope not!” Hershel replied. “Unless I’m mistaken, the Gatling that Maddie used earlier was the same one that was taken out of these here mines some three or four years ago. If these bastards somehow got ahold of another one, then we’re screwed!”

“Not if I can help it,” Jack growled, his eyebrows narrowing. He thought back to the second when he saw the barrels of dynamite were stationed—exactly in the center of the massive room. There were other, smaller loads of explosives over to the right, he recalled, and with a grin, he looked at Hershel and said, “Cover your ears and get down!”

The older man looked at him quizzically and watched as he took a chance to stand and bring up his gun. He timed it just right: the gunfire began to wane as the enemy reloaded, and with a wave of relief, he could see no Gatling gun as he briefly looked around and aimed his sights on the best possible load of dynamite to shoot. The majority of the outlaws were standing around the explosives in the center of the room, whereas there were others scattered towards the outer sides.

Just before he was about to pull the trigger, movement from above the room on what looked like an upper part of the mines in a gap of a tunnel caught his attention. Maddie and several of her men were stationed there. To his shock and elation, Americus Roe and Melvin Spinney were standing with them, their hands bound back behind their backs and outrage upon their faces. Jack gasped as he noticed what Maddie held in her hands. With a wicked grin, she threw the stick of dynamite down into the center of the room. It landed near the large barrel; three seconds passed as the spark reached the end of the wick.

An unbearable high-pitched ringing screamed in his ears. Dust was all he could see as he lay sprawled on the hard rock floor of the mines. The world shook around him; the walls groaned and shed dust and pieces of rock to the ground. A long minute passed as Jack tried to comprehend what just happened. He slowly rolled onto his side and rose onto his hands and knees. Friendly hands pulled him up to his feet; Jack looked around him and found two lawmen were holding him up by his arms. Their mouths moved, but he couldn’t hear their voices.

Out of nowhere, Hershel came to his side. Jack tried reading his lips but couldn’t hear a word he was saying. For a solid minute, he was temporarily deaf, and he began to panic until at last his hearing slowly came back. The second it did, he demanded, “Is everyone all right? Hershel, you okay?”

The sheriff and the lawmen around them nodded and asked him the same. He reassured them he was fine, just startled was all, before he and Hershel walked forward through the settling dust. Their guns were held at the ready as they advanced into the room. The dust slithered around them and gave them a small perimeter of vision. The men struggled through fits of coughs as their lungs fought for clean air. Jack ordered they linger back into the tunnel and wait for the dust to settle.

Five more minutes passed, and as the dust settled, Maddie, Archer, and their men made their rounds through the other tunnels. Their battle cries and gunfire echoed through the mines; the screams of their enemies dying permeated through the dank air.

Jack, Hershel, and his men took advantage of the moment of peace to rummage around the rubble and carnage of the large room. The scene before them was permanently engraved into their minds: bits and pieces of men were scattered and splattered all around the room. Blood streaked the floor and walls where men once stood before the explosion. Shattered pieces of wood from the crates and barrels were also strewn about, as well as stolen goods the gangs had acquired.

“Alright, men,” Hershel called out as he stood in the middle of the room. His boots were stained with the blood of their former enemies. “Let’s split up and go down the rest of the tunnels. Be on your guard: we still have the other two men to bring in alive.”

Jack turned and looked to his right, where a tunnel led from the large room. He jogged to the entrance with his gun held aloft and his wits about him. As he rounded a corner, he came to an abrupt stop as he entered a large room. He gasped as he saw a man standing in the far corner of the room with his back to him, and from the sounds of it, he was loading a pistol. The room was lit with many lamps and was decorated with a myriad of crates, a beautiful rug, a table and chairs, several sets of drinking glasses and an array of alcohol.

The man turned and faced Jack. For a brief second, they stood staring at each other before they pointed their guns at each other’s faces.

“Jack Marston,” Zebedee Nash greeted with a charming smile. “You’re right on time, boy.”

“Sorry to wreck whatever plans you had. Better luck next time, if you make it outta this.”

The man chortled. “Just like your father, so quick to pull the gun on a criminal.”

“I’m just as fast as he was, so if I were you, I’d put that gun away and just come with me. This doesn’t have to get ugly.”

Zebedee cocked an eyebrow and tucked his chin down. “You and I both know that ain’t gonna happen, boy. You’re after me and my men; you need us all alive if you’re gonna be a proper, pardoned young man.”

Jack clenched his jaw.

Nash laughed. “Oh, you didn’t think I’d be this smart and know what you and that little bitch of a bounty hunter were after all this time? It ain’t that hard to figure out, son. I know what you and them goddamned lawmen are up to.”

“So you don’t give a damn about all your men we killed outside?” Jack countered, feeling his skin crawl. “Or the men I’ve killed to get to you and the other gang leaders?”

The boss man scoffed and smiled. “They’re replaceable. After I’ve dealt with your pathetic little army, after everything starts, I’ll have so many outlaws headed my way, I’ll be unstoppable. You promise men enough things, they’ll follow you in a heartbeat, son.” He looked Jack over with admiration. “And after you and I have a little chat, you’ll be _beggin’_ to follow me, too.”

“What the hell makes you say that?” He looked the man over with disgust. “What makes you so damn confident I’ll follow you just like that?”

The older man smirked with a knowing gleam in his eye. “Why do you think you’re still alive, Jack? I could’ve had my men put a hundred bullets in you, but I told them to keep you unscathed.”

Jack’s eyes widened. “You wanted me alive…”

“Now you’re gettin’ it. You’re the son of John Marston, the legend! And if you’re just like your old man, back when he was in his prime before he made the mistake of turning away from who he truly was, you’ll be just as dangerous as he was, if not more. Your pa was a master at bein’ a criminal, and if he were still alive today, I would’ve given him a run for his money and asked him to join my cause.”

Jack glared at the man.

“And you know what else, kid? You’re followin’ in your pa’s footsteps. No doubt you’ll meet the same bloody fate as he did…unless you change your course right here and now. I’m giving you the opportunity to make a choice to better yourself.”

“Better myself?” Jack exclaimed. “The hell you talkin’ about, mister?”

“Aren’t you doin’ what the law wants you to do? Think about it: you’re being their middle man, you’re gettin’ your hands bloody for their benefit. It’s only right in their eyes to have a former criminal get his hands dirty and hunt down men he used to be like. It’s good for the public eye, as far as they’re concerned…keepin’ all eyes on you while they work their way around the system. Isn’t there somethin’ wrong with that, or are you too damn brainwashed to tell the difference?”

Jack’s gaze wavered from the man. His mental strength began to waver as Nash’s words began to sink in. He felt like a tricked mustang, betrayed and worn out after realizing the lawmen broke his spirit and slapped their judicial saddle and bridle on him. The old flame of outrage and rebellion he once thought went out long ago began to be rekindled. It quickly lit back up inside him from within its dark, deep cage; his body became heated by it. After all the long months of his hard work, after all the torment and sweat and blood he’d shed, he was questioning it all for the first time in a long time.

“Look at the truth, Jack: they’re usin’ you the same way they used your pa.”

“That ain’t true,” he spat back as he looked into the man’s eyes, though deep down he knew his words were false.

“Isn’t it? Look at what you’re doin’ right now, kid, what you _have_ been doin’ this past several months. As I’ve said before, you’re trackin’ down criminals when you used to be one yourself. You pa did _exactly_ just that, and don’t you go botherin’ to deny it. You’re John Marston’s boy; you’ve got that killin’ instinct in you just like he had. You’re good at killin’, and you know it. That’s why they’ve got you in this bounty huntin’ business: it suits you, and they want you to have that sort of image to uphold. It’s a priceless portrait of the ex-criminal, isn’t it?”

Jack stiffened in rage. “I’m John Marston’s boy, alright, but I’m no killer.”

Nash cocked his head to the side. “No? Well, what about all those people you shot down last year?”

“I had a…fallout of sorts…”

“And when you had your “fallout”, didn’t you get pissed off when the law came after you, when they threw your ass in jail just ‘cause you weren’t abidin’ by their rules? If you would just listen to my cause, you’ll certainly understand why I’m doin’ it. Don’t you want to live with limitless freedom, without the worry of bein’ hunted down by the law like a damn animal? Then hear what I have to say.”

Jack blinked. “Alright, I’m listenin’.”

“Imagine a world without law, without order, without hierarchy or command of any kind. I’m talkin’ all of mankind as equals, brothers and sisters livin’ together in a land riddled with endless opportunity. Imagine a land where you can do whatever you wish, whenever you wish, without any repercussions, without any fear of prosecution or tyrannical restraint. It will be a land free of any corrupt judicial order; there will be no such thing as lawmen, or politicians, or government officials.”

His words were like woven strands of silk to Jack’s ears; it was all coming together to form a beautiful blanket of promise. He felt drunk on the man’s voice, absolutely enchanted by the mere sound of the syllables as they floated from Nash’s lips to pollute his ears.

“Picture it, Jack,” Zebedee continued, his voice assuaging and his smile inviting. “You can have all the money you want, all the women and whiskey you desire…Anything you can think of, you can obtain. I can promise you this, and much more if you’ll join my cause.”

“What cause?” he found himself asking with enthusiasm.

“Like I’m gonna tell you. I can’t trust you just yet, even if I want to.”

“What if I want in?”

The outlaw leader smiled with delight. “So, you _are_ considering it.”

Jack gave him a devilish smile.

Zebedee looked him over with approval. After a long moment of deliberation, he began ominously, “It’ll start in Blackwater, and once that town’s been cleansed of the corruption that’s been clutchin’ it tight for so long, then we’ll move onto Armadillo, and then wherever else there are lawmen needin’ to be annihilated. We’ll sweep across this land and wipe it clean of all the vermin that’s settled across it.” 

Jack’s eyebrows rose. “You’re talkin’ mass murder, mister.”

“Such sacrifice is justified, Jack,” he replied with a psychotic sneer. “I’m sure you’ll agree with me on this, especially after the affairs between your father and Blackwater’s law enforcement, which of course led to his…untimely demise.” His face bore a sympathetic expression, and his voice softened as he said, “I know what happened to your pa, and it was a _damn_ shame, boy. But what was even more of a shame was the fact that he _let_ it all happen to himself. John got wrapped up in business he should’ve avoided from the start. He should’ve stayed true to who he was: a great outlaw.”

“He had me and my mother to worry about,” Jack interjected, his gun steadying in his hand as he resumed the aim at the older man’s forehead. “Having a family to take care of doesn’t give you the luxury to be so selfish, mister.”

Zebedee kept his gun on Jack as well as he chuckled. “Yes, but weren’t you and your ma a part of his gang? You both could’ve carried on like him. Hell, you could’ve become an even _greater_ revolutionary than your old man, Jack! I can _see_ it in you, kid! You’ve got some _damn_ good potential.” He looked Jack over with an admiring gleam in his eyes. “You know, I like you, Jack. You’ve got spunk, you’re brave, and you ain’t afraid to pull the trigger on a man, no matter who he is. I like that. Your pa would be proud.”

Jack guffawed and shook his head. “Don’t flatter me.”

Zebedee studied him closely, dark eyes darting across Jack’s face with indecision. “So, you think I can trust you now, huh?”

Jack grinned. “To be honest, I never much liked bein’ told what to do, _especially_ by lawmen. You think I like bein’ under their thumb? It’s been the _biggest_ waste of my time, and I’ll be more than happy to do away with ‘em all if you’ll let me in. Tell you what, why don’t you and I strike a deal here? If you let me join, I’ll help you out, but we’ll have to pretend that I brought you in. So when the time comes, I can kill all them badge-wearin’ sons-a-bitches off and give you a gun and let you lead. Once they’re all dead, we can do whatever you want, startin’ with that plan of yours.”

Zebedee took a moment to consider his words. “And how do I know you’re not just feedin’ me to the dogs?”

“Trust me, I would’ve killed them all off if I would’ve had the chance. If we can rally your men and face them once and for all, we can kill ‘em all in no time. What do you say?”

“Alright, but on one condition: you let me kill Archer and Maddie. Never much cared for them, since they keep arrestin’ my friends. They’ve caused me more sufferin’ and frustration than I care to elaborate.” Nash switched his gun to his left hand and began to lower it. He extended his right hand toward Jack. “We got a deal then?”

Jack lowered his gun and extended his left hand toward the older man. “Sounds good to me.”

Movement behind Zebedee snatched Jack’s attention just then: Maddie appeared at the mouth of the other tunnel on the opposite side of the room. She silently crept forward, her gun pointed at the back of Nash’s head. Jack looked back into Zebedee’s eyes as their hands clasped together and shook. He made sure the deal was struck before he dared to look back over the man’s shoulder.

The bounty hunters met gazes. Shock and betrayal crossed Maddie’s face as she stopped in mid-step and stared at him, her mouth dropping open in appalled disbelief. To Jack’s surprise, her aim turned to him for a brief moment. Her gun shook with outrage as she aimed for his forehead.

Surreptitiously, he looked her in the eyes and gave her the most subtle of winks as he continued to shake Nash’s hand. Maddie blinked; her gun wavered. It only took a moment for her to understand before she strode forward and pressed the barrel of her semi-automatic pistol into the back of the outlaw’s head.

Jack watched with satisfaction as Nash’s eyes widened at the cold touch of Maddie’s gun. He froze in place, his hand still holding Jack’s, but after a moment of realization, his body slumped with disappointed comprehension. His hand dropped out of the younger man’s hand and to his side. He shut his eyes as he gave a heavy sigh. “Maddie Ross, as I live and breathe,” he said bitterly as he glanced back at her over his shoulder with an icy glare. “Howdy.”

“Howdy,” Maddie replied in the sweetest tone. She smiled elatedly at Jack and gave him an appreciative nod, silently thanking him for his solid resolution to stay true to himself and to her. Jack reciprocated the sweet gesture with a quick, reassuring smirk before she turned her attention back to the outlaw between them. She beamed victoriously as she continued, “Glad to see you’re still kickin’ and in one piece, Nash. Didn’t expect it to end this way, did ya?”

Zebedee looked back at her with a twisted smile and lavishly murmured, “Madeline Ross…Beautiful, _beautiful_ Maddie. You’re as pretty as the day I met you. You were just a wee little bitch the day you threw me in jail a few years back with the help of ol’ Edgar.” He grinned evilly at her. “How’s your uncle?”

All traces of humor melted from her face as she pressed her gun deeper into the back of his skull. “He’s dead, just like you’ll be if you keep flappin’ that nasty, rotten mouth of yours.”

He gave an unimpressed guffaw. “You ain’t gonna shoot me, bitch, not when you need to bring me in alive.”

Her eyebrows narrowed darkly. “I’ll make an exception with you today, old man.”

“Go ahead, you bossy little shit,” he chuckled darkly. “See how that settles with big man Archer and that old sheriff from Armadillo. I’m sure they won’t be too happy to hear you’ve blown the brains out of the most wanted criminal in all of Gaptooth Ridge.”

“They’ll just have to deal with it,” she growled back. “I sure as hell won’t lose any sleep tonight when I pull this trigger.”

Nash sighed heavily once again, his shoulder sagging. He frowned and looked back at Jack with a strange look in his eyes. He shook his head in disappointment. “So I guess our little deal is void then, huh?”

“So it would seem,” Jack replied with a smirk as he stepped away from him.

“Hmm. Pity.”

Before the bounty hunters could react, he threw up his left hand and shot him. The gunshot resounded throughout the tunnels ominously. Jack cried out in agony as he felt the bullet tear through his torso. He doubled over and stumbled backwards, feeling the world spin, and his sight grew dark as he crumpled to the ground beneath him.

The last word he heard was his name being screamed by his terrified partner before he fell prey to the darkness, and he saw no more.


	26. One Chapter Ends, Another Begins

**Chapter Track** : “Here I Am (End Title)” – Bryan Adams, _Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron_ soundtrack

 

The world stirred into place; the edges of his sight were black and almost completely consumed his eyes except for a small circle that eventually grew and grew until he saw clearly. Then the pain hit his body—it was at first a dull throb, but as he gradually regained consciousness, the pain worsened to an excruciating stab in his abdomen. Something jostled his shoulder. A soft, concerned voice called his name, panicked and on the verge of tears.

“Jack? Can you hear me? You’d better not’ve died on me, you bastard, not after everything we’ve been through!” There was a choked-back sob as his shoulder was shook once more, this time more urgently. “ _Jack?!_ ”

He groaned and blinked in rapid succession, confused as he slowly came to. Her hair washed over his chest like a dark-brown waterfall; the petrified blaze in her brown eyes softened. Tears of terror quickly turned to tears of joy as she heaved a relieved sigh and laid her forehead on his chest.

“Oh, thank God!” Her lips graced his brow with a gentle kiss as she leaned back up. She looked down at him with a disbelieving smile. “I thought you were dead!”

“Wha…What happened?”

As he tried to sit up, an explosion of pain erupted across his torso, and he collapsed back down onto the soft ground. As he grit his teeth and battled through the pain, he opened his eyes and looked around. He was lying shirtless on a cot in a tent that wasn’t his. “Where…where am I?”

“Lay still, darlin’,” she said and gently pressed a hand on his chest. “You’re just outside the mines. We’re in one of the tents. Archer and I rushed you out of there as soon as we could and brought you here.” She looked him over and shook her head. “My God, it’s a wonder you’re alive, Jack. I almost couldn’t stitch you back up.” Tears welled in her eyes. “There was so much blood…”

“What happened?” Though he was in a world of pain, he somehow managed to concentrate on her beautiful face. It was all he could do to not cry out from his torment. He placed his right hand on top of hers.

“That son of a bitch Zebedee Nash shot you,” she hissed. “I took care of him, though.”

Jack’s eyes widened. “You didn’t shoot him, did you?”

“No. Archer and the others got in there right before I could take my revenge on him, but I _did_ manage to pistol-whip that rotten fuck unconscious. Archer arrested him, along with the other three we were supposed to bag.” She smiled down at him and upturned her hand so that she could grasp his tightly. A resolving light entered her brown eyes as she said, “We got ‘em all, Jack. It’s done. Our hard work is finally over with. We can go home now.” She glanced down at his bandage she’d recently applied around his stomach. “Well, as soon as you’re well enough to ride.”

Jack smiled weakly up at her. He released her hand only to cup the side of her face. “Thanks for savin’ my life...again.”

She smirked back at him. Her eyes softened with unbridled tenderness. “You know, you have a bad habit of gettin’ yourself shot, Jack. What’s the count now?”

“Too damn many,” he snorted back. He studied her face, happy to once again be so close to her, much less alive, to see her again. Though she was still damp from the thunderstorm and covered with dust, mud, sweat, and blood, she was still undeniably beautiful to him. He caressed her cheek with his thumb. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine. Got nicked a couple times, but they’re only scratches.”

“Good.” He beamed up at her even though his bullet wound screamed at him. “Ya know, if it wasn’t for you fixin’ me up all the time, I wouldn’t be here right now. I can’t thank you enough, Maddie.”

She shrugged nonchalantly and leaned down closer to him, her long hair falling over his chest and arms. “It’s all a part of the job, princess. It’s what I do.”

“You could be a doctor, ya know, with all the times you’ve stitched me up,” he said, almost breathless as her face inched closer to his. His heart pounded as he moved his hand to the back of her head and drew her in.

“Now there’s a thought,” she whispered as she looked deep into his eyes. “And you could be an actor after the stunt you pulled off back there with Zebedee. For a second, you had us both fooled.”

“Now there’s a thought,” he murmured. He drew her face closer to his; she leaned in closer in response. “An outlaw turned good tries his hand at the picture shows. How poetic.”

Their faces were a hand’s-breadth apart; they stared into each other’s eyes, unsure of whether to continue or wait for the other to make the move. Their noses brushed as Maddie tilted her head to the side and closed her eyes.

The loud rustling of the tent’s flap being tossed aside jerked them out of their moment. Maddie sat up and looked back over her shoulder as Archer and Hershel walked into the tent. Hershel smirked apologetically at them; his cheeks flushed a light pink. Archer’s eyes widened as he looked at the bounty hunters. He blinked away his surprise and cleared his throat.

“How is he?” the government agent asked as he walked up to them.

Maddie hid her face behind her hair. “Just fine. I did the best I could, and he’s alive, so that’s all that matters.” She looked back down at Jack and grinned apologetically; the strong longing in her expression made his breath catch in his throat. She grasped his hand that had immediately dropped back down to his side and gave it a comforting squeeze.

Archer came to stand before Jack. “How are you fairing, Mister Marston? From what Maddie and the others have told me, you pulled quite the brave stunt back there talking to the outlaw. It’s a miracle you’re alive: not many people can survive a gunshot to the gut.” A glint of admiration flashed across his eyes. He smirked and shook his head in wonder. “Tough and stubborn as your father.”

Jack grinned up at him, and for the first time ever, he felt a bud of kinship with the man blossom in his breast. “At last, somethin’ we can agree on.”

Hershel walked up to them and cast his gaze over the wounded young man as well. “I sure as hell think so, boy. You’re a Marston, alright.”

Jack inclined his head to him.

“Hershel, Maddie, why don’t you two go tend to the wounded and the arrested criminals?” Archer suggested. “Now that all this madness has ended, it’s high-time we take care of everyone before we go back to the Scratching Post, clean up camp, and head back to Blackwater.”

“Yes, sir,” Hershel said. He ushered Maddie with a wave of his hand. “C’mon, Miss Ross. We’ve got a lot of work to do before this day’s over.”

Maddie looked down at Jack with a mixture of longing, worry, and affection. She glanced up at Archer. “I need to finish tendin’ to Jack. He’s not quite—”

“I think he’s more than well enough to leave alone, Miss Ross,” Archer interjected firmly. “You’ve done all you can with him…and more.” He winked at her before nodding suggestively back to Hershel. “You can go, Maddie. I’d like a word with him in private if you don’t mind. He and I must discuss the terms of his pardoning, after all.”

With reluctance, she stood up off the side of his cot and joined Hershel at the tent entrance. She looked back at him with one last adoring glance and smirked before she and Hershel exited the tent.

Once they were gone, Archer pulled up a nearby chair and sat beside Jack. He sighed greatly as he took off his hat and ran a hand through his dark hair.

“You look tired,” Jack noted with a chuckle.

“You don’t know the half of it, Marston.” He placed his hat back on his head and clasped his hands together. “But then again, I shouldn’t say much, since you just got shot and barely survived.” He looked him over and frowned. “You look a little pale, boy. Are you _sure_ you’re all right?”

He nodded. “Well enough to say I am, or at least I think so.” He glanced down at his bandages and grimaced. “Hurts like hell, but I’ll live. I’ve been through worse.”

Archer snorted. “Indeed, Mister Marston.” He paused. “Listen, Jack, I know you’ve been through hell and back to get to this point in your life. No one should have to endure what you’ve endured, son. I’m sorry for what my partner did to you and your family.” He held out his hand. “If it’s any consolation, I’m grateful for your service. You’ve done a fine job; you’ve earned your freedom.”

Jack took the government agent’s hand and shook it deftly. “Th-Thank you, Mister Fordham. I…I don’t know what to say.”

Fordham chuckled as they released each other’s hands. “It’s strange to see us get along after so much strife.”

“Yeah. It’s funny how some things work out.”

He stood up and took a step towards the entrance flap. “And don’t worry about our little secret: it’ll stay that way ‘til the day I die.”

Jack blinked. “You mean…?”

Archer nodded. His hand held the flap open, but he hesitated to walk out. “I think it’s best we put that behind us. Edgar wasn’t the best man in the world, I’ll attest to that, and perhaps what you did wasn’t completely justified, but I believe this is a case that’s best kept unsolved.” He looked him in the eyes and added, “And you’d do well to keep it that way as well, for your sake, as well as Maddie’s.”

“What about all that talk of wantin’ her to know the truth?”

Archer shrugged. “Guess there are some men worth lying for. The world may be corrupt and sullied, but I will see to it that it doesn’t keep that way in Blackwater. Besides, the way you and Maddie are carrying on, I don’t think there’s any point in wanting such a cruel thing anymore.”

Jack blushed and looked to the side.

Archer smirked as he added, “You know, you’d make a fine agent or deputy, Jack. The position’s always there for you in Blackwater if ever you’re willing to consider it.”

Jack guffawed and shook his head. “With all due respect, Archer, I think I’ll pass on that opportunity. I’ve got my parents’ ranch to fix up. And after what happened today, I think I’m done bounty huntin’ for a while.”

“I can respect that.” Archer tipped his head to him. “Get some rest, Marston.” And with that, he slipped out of the tent, leaving Jack stunned and staring after him.

 

*             *             *

 

Jack found himself slowly but surely on the road to recovery. The army cleaned up camp the next day after the battle was over. Hershel and Archer shook his and Maddie’s hand and bid him good luck before they left with the army on horseback and the outlaws in a prison wagon. It only took a day of laying around for Jack to become annoyed and restless. It was difficult for him to stand, much less walk, but his stubbornness proved the victor, and on the third morning, he insisted he and Maddie get a move on. Mounting his horse proved to be a challenge, but he gritted his teeth

From atop her horse, Maddie shook her head. “You’d better not rip out your stitches, you stubborn jackass.”

Jack sighed and rolled his eyes. “I ain’t gonna rip out my stitches, you nosy little—”

She silenced him with a slap of the end of Gypsy’s reins; the leather smacked against his leg with a sharp sting. He yelped in surprise and rubbed his left thigh.

Epiphany flashed across her face, and she snapped her fingers and pointed up at him. “A-HA! _That’s_ what I’m gonna call you from now on.”

Jack cocked an eyebrow. “What?”

“Jackass!”

He wasn’t in the slightest bit amused as he reined Sundance around toward the road that ran past Silent Stead. He nudged his horse’s sides with his heels; a twinge of pain blasted through his torso, and with a grimace and a small inhale, he fought through his discomfort and walked his palomino down the road.

“Hey, Jackass, wait up!”

He ignored her as she trotted her horse up to Sundance before pulling her back to a walk to match his pace. She grinned over at him, looking like she’d invented some wondrous thing or named a new species.

“Goddamn it, why didn’t I think of that earlier?!” She threw her head back as she fell prey to a fit of giggles and slapped her leg.

“Ya know, you ain’t that funny,” Jack snapped, looking her over with an annoyed scowl.

“Actually, I believe I am quite hilarious. You just don’t have a sense of humor, that’s all.”

“I have a sense of humor, just not at my own expense.”

“Psssh! C’mon, you gotta admit it’s funny, and it’s fitting!” She motioned to him, “Jack,” then down to his horse, “Ass.”

“Sundance isn’t a mule, you bitch.”

She beamed at him. “Yeah, but I’d _love_ to see you ride around on a mule. _Then_ it would be fitting.”

He shook his head fervently. “That’s never gonna happen. Ever.”

“What if I bought a mule for you?”

“Not. Gonna. Happen.”

“Ah, c’mon. Humor me.”

“I am.”

“Oh, stop bein’ such a stick in the mud."

Jack ran a hand over his face and sighed. “This is gonna be one long ride home.”

Maddie laughed and reined her horse closer to his. She touched his arm tenderly and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “You know I’m just playin’ around, right?”

“I almost died, and here you are—”

“Jack, come on,” she laughed and looked into his eyes. “I’m elated that you’re alive. Honestly. And I’m sorry for what I just said. But come on, we’re finally done with this job! You’re a pardoned man now, aren’t you?” She released his arm and leaned away as she waited for his reply.

“Archer is gonna clear my name the second he gets back to town. So yeah, I guess I _am_ a free man.” He furrowed his brow. “Ya know, it’s strange bein’ free after all this time, ya know? It doesn’t seem real, like I should still be out there bringin’ outlaws in. It’s almost like the job’s not done yet for me.”

“I hear ya. But your job _is_ done, and you can go back home.” She paused as she looked at the open road. The desert landscape of Gaptooth Ridge loomed before them, a globe of hot sun and dry, rough land with not a soul in sight. She tilted her head back and looked up at the clear blue sky and smirked. “It feels good to be finally free, though, doesn’t it? It’s great to be able to look to the future without exhaustion… Now, it’s up to you to decide what to do with your life.”

His looked down at his hands and fiddled with the reins. “Yeah, but that’s just one hell of a shock… I mean, for once in my life, I’ve got somethin’ to look forward to… It’s just daunting to think I’ve got a chance now.” He looked out across the desert. The path before him was now clear like the road he and his horse plodded down, whereas before he was set to travel down the strict path of justice.

“You look scared as hell, Jack.”

He glanced over at her. The overwhelming swell of affection she revealed was enough to make his heart flutter. He reached out and grasped her hand, giving it a thankful squeeze. “I’m fine. It’ll just take some getting used to, now that I can think and do as I please.”

She squeezed back. “You’ll do just fine, Jack. You’ve grown into a fine man, and I know you’ll do great whatever you choose to do now.”

“I hope so.”

The day dragged on, seeing as Jack could only stand to ride at a slow walk. Maddie was neither impatient nor unsympathetic to his condition as they rode side-by-side. In truth, she and Jack weren’t exactly in a hurry: the ride back was a nice change of pace from their previous constant rush. Plus, they were able to enjoy the scenery for once as it changed. Jack was blown away by the beauty of the land, more so than he was the first time he traversed it, and the fact that he was riding alongside a person who shared his love of the land made it more enjoyable.

Later that night, after they set up camp and ate, Maddie came over to his side of the campfire and sat close to him. He didn’t hesitate to drape his arm over her shoulder as they sat staring into the flames.

Maddie cuddled closer to his chest and breathed in his scent. “This is nice,” she said softly. “Ya know, I’ve enjoyed workin’ with you, Jack.”

He blinked as he looked down at her. “Where’s this all comin’ from?”

She shrugged. “Don’t know. Just thought I’d tell you.”

“Oh…um…Thanks.”

“I was always used to bringin’ in bounties by myself, with no company except my horse, much less a man. Hell, a part of me wished for Bonnie to come along with me, but I knew that would never happen—her ranch is her priority, not me.”

“She still loves you, though.” He chuckled. “I bet she’ll hug you to death when we get back.”

“Oh, I’m sure she will. But still…it’s nice to have you around. Back when I was a young thing thinkin’ I could change the world, I was so hell-bent on makin’ every man who belittled me a believer that a woman could do whatever she wished. And I tried my damndest, even became cruel to those who didn’t believe me and to the men I brought in. But I never gave a second thought about my actions, until you pointed them out. I mean, hell, you should’ve seen me before we met: I was out there killin’ men left and right, not even givin’ them a chance. Most of the time I brought in the bounties dead just because it was easier that way. And I never gave myself a break, either, except when I came back to Bonnie’s and spent some time there between hunts.” She leaned out of his arms to poke at the fire with a stick. Her eyes were glued to the flames in recollection, and she frowned, looking disappointed in herself. “For four and a half years, all I did was bring in bounties and help Bonnie out as much as I could.” She looked back at him with the most affectionate countenance he’d ever received from her; her eyes squinted with tenderness and the corners of her mouth pulled up into a soft grin. “And then you came around. I must admit, I didn’t think much of you when I saw you in that jail cell.”

Jack snorted through his nose. “I bet you didn’t. I wasn’t much back then, just some angry kid is all.”

“But look at you now. I mean, you were just another scumbag I had to deal with, albeit in a different way than I was used to, and let’s face it: we hated each other back then. Now, I can say you’ve changed my outlook over many things.”

He brushed a stray strand of hair away from her eyes with his fingertips. “Such as?”

“A future I thought never existed until now. All this time, I thought my responsibilities were to bring in as many bastards as possible and help keep Bonnie’s ranch goin’ ‘til time immemorial. I never had the time to fool with other things outside of workin’ with horses and shootin’ my guns. You remember Bonnie tellin’ you about all those men that asked for my hand?”

He swallowed thickly. “Yeah.”

“I was given many opportunities to marry and have a life my father would’ve wanted for me.” She scoffed and shook her head. “I just never really saw the point in it all; I never had the time to fool with it. That and I was too preoccupied with bein’ the starchy little woman who had to prove to the world she could make a livin’ bringin’ in grungy men for money.” She smirked proudly as she added, “I bet Mama would have a thing or two to say to me now, if she were still alive.” Her smirk faded into a sad frown. “But I guess I never slowed down to enjoy the things right in front of me.” She shook her head slowly. “Time just gets away from us.”

“Your mother would be damned proud of you,” Jack responded softly, touching the small of her back with a gentle hand. “And your pa…well, maybe you should go see him some time, now that we’re done bounty huntin’.”

A hateful scowl burst across her beautiful face. She turned to look at him. “Why would I go see him after everything he’s done to my mother and I? Plus, I don’t want to see that snake of a woman he’s married to now.”

He gave her an admonishing frown and tucked his chin down. “He’s your father, Madeline. It shouldn’t matter what he did in the past. It’s time you two got along. After all, he won’t be around forever, so go spend some time with him. Whether or not you choose to do so after we get back is up to you, but I think you should. Hell, the times I spent with my pa, I’ll admit weren’t the greatest or the longest, but lookin’ back, I wish I would’ve had more of them before he died. Like you said, time just gets away from us, and things don’t work out the way you want them to.”

Maddie’s gaze lowered to the ground as she thought over his words. “I suppose I should go see him. I imagine he’ll want to bury Uncle Edgar in the cemetery, and I would very much like to attend that.”

At the sound of Edgar’s name, Jack flinched and looked back into the fire. “So, will you go see your father after we’ve reached Bonnie’s then?”

“I will after I’ve stayed for a good while. I think you and I deserve a good break after all we’ve been through. But yes, eventually I will head to Blackwater. I want to be there when they lay my uncle to rest.” Her face hardened into vindictive determination. “And I will see to it his death will be avenged. Whoever the killer is, I will find him and bring him to justice.”

Jack looked her over dubiously. “But Maddie, you know the trail’s cold. I think makin’ up with your father would be a better way to spend your time.”

She looked him coldly in the eyes and hardened her expression. “I will not rest until I’ve learned who killed him.”

“And what if you’ll never find the answers you’re lookin’ for?”

She frowned deeply and furrowed her brow. Her gaze drifted off to the side as she turned his question over in her head. “If I don’t find the answers I seek, then…then I don’t know what I’ll do. But all I know is that I _have_ to find out who did this to him.”

Jack ran a hand through her hair and sighed. “Maddie, revenge isn’t always worth it, ya know. There are some things you cannot change, no matter how hard you try. People go crazy when they don’t find the answers they’re lookin’ for, so it’s best to accept some things and let it be. Acceptin’ my pa’s death wasn’t easy, but I had to. I mean, sure I miss him, and Ma, but it is what it is, and I can’t change a thing.”

“But wouldn’t you have wanted to take vengeance on the man who killed your father?” she asked as she looked him in the eyes. A strange gleam fixated itself in her eyes as she studied him furiously, as if looking for some unspoken secret. “Would’ve you have wanted the closure of bringin’ that man to justice? _My uncle killed your father, Jack._ I’d be hard-pressed to find you’d not want to go kill him and seek vengeance on him.”

“But I didn’t,” he lied hastily. “I mean, sure, it crossed my mind, but I never went through with it. It was just a thought, that’s all. Plus back then, I wasn’t in the right mind anyway. I had my mother to take care of after she got sick. She didn’t last long, though.”

Maddie leaned closer to him and rested a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Jack. You’ve had such a terrible life.”

“You don’t have to tell me.” He couldn’t bear to look at her as he struggled to keep the innocent mask on.

“Indeed. We must each of us bear our own misfortunes.” She looked into the flames and became lost in watching them dance. She was mesmerized by them for a minute or two before she said, “I’ll stay with you at Bonnie’s for a little while.”

“And then what?”

“We’ll see. That remains to be seen. Let’s just concentrate on gettin’ back home, shall we?”

“Agreed.”

Jack shifted his weight to get into a more comfortable sitting position. He cleared his throat. “So, uh…what were you sayin’ before…?”

She looked up at him and blinked. “What do you mean?”

“About, um…about a future you didn’t think you’d have until now. What did you mean by that?”

“Oh.” She blushed and looked back at the fire with a shy smile. “That.”

“Yes, that,” he pressed. “Are you done huntin’ then? Will you, uh…choose to settle down?”

Maddie smiled up at him. “A cowgirl doesn’t just hang her hat up and settle down just like that, _especially_ not this one. I won’t give myself up that easy, Mister Marston, not until I’ve been shown otherwise and he can prove he’s man enough to handle me.” She smirked and narrowed her eyes at him. “Why?”

Jack looked to the side and cleared his throat. He chewed on the inside of his cheek, not knowing how else to deflect such unwanted attention.

“What’s the matter, Jack? Caught you off-guard, have I?”

He stared at the fire in silence.

She bumped her shoulder against him, jostling him softly. She stared up at him with a coy gleam in her eyes. She batted her eyelashes and leaned her cheek against his shoulder. “I’m waiting, Jack.”

His face reddened a dark crimson as he glanced at her; his heart performed a summersault in his chest as his eyes met hers. He flicked his gaze back to the fire and ran a hand feverishly over his facial hair.

She lifted her chin and flashed her eyebrows. “So, you think you’ve got a chance with me, huh? What makes you so certain?”

“I-I’m not,” he confessed as he turned and faced her fully. A sudden seriousness brought bravery upon his once tongue-tied demeanor as he looked her in the eyes. “Madeline, I’ll be honest with you, I probably don’t stand a chance. You’re headstrong, independent, passionate, and too goddamn much for me to handle. You’re like my mother: she used to scare the hell outta me sometimes. That, plus I don’t think I deserve someone like you.”

“And what makes you say that?” She tilted her head slightly to the side. Her hair fell over her shoulder and chest.

“You wouldn’t want someone like me in your life,” he murmured as he looked back into the fire. His brow furrowed as he glared at the flickering flames. “You’ve seen where I came from and who I was…who I _still_ sort of am. You’re perfectly fine without someone like me messin’ it all up for you.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it, Jackass,” she shot back with a suave smirk and flicked her hair coquettishly back over her shoulder. When he didn’t look at her, she scooted closer to him and cupped the side of his face. She turned his face to look at her, and she leaned in closer to him so that their faces were a hand’s-breadth apart. “You think you’re no good for me, or any other woman for that matter? Are you really that blind to who you are, or are you too scared to be close to someone?”

“It’s a bit of both, actually,” he answered breathlessly. Every fiber of his being ached to steal a kiss from her, but his fear held him back. He sat transfixed by her luscious brown eyes, her full pink lips, her angled eyebrows, her round chin, her long dark hair. “You gotta understand my view on things such as… _this_.” He gestured to himself and her with a suggestive nod and an embarrassed flush of his cheeks. “Losing the people you love doesn’t make things like _this_ easy.”

She slid her hand to the back of his head and wove her fingers into his long hair. “I know, Jack, and I’m sorry for that, but don’t forget I’ve lost someone as well… I understand if you don’t want this.”

He immediately wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. He shook his head adamantly as a flame of courage enraptured him. “No, I want this. It’s just…I…” Thoughts of the day he killed Edgar Ross, and of the day he discovered the connection between her and him, flooded through his mind, poisoning the red-hot flame of desire that pumped thickly through him. He did his best to ignore the guilt that solidified his heart in an icy encasement, and as he searched for a way to explain himself, he gradually felt less and less of a man, much less a human being. When the answer refused to come, he sighed in frustration and looked away, disgusted at himself.

She surprised him as she cupped the side of his face and turned his head back so that they once again stared into each other’s eyes. Sympathy and understanding molded her face into a kind and compassionate countenance. “It’s all right, Jack. I understand.” Her eyebrows narrowed, however, as she said in a firmer tone, “But know this: if you want this, you’re gonna have to prove yourself to me.” She flashed her eyebrows as she leaned her face closer to his.

Jack’s eyes widened. He stared back at her with bated breath. He nearly swooned when her hand slid past his face and around the back of his head, her fingers once again weaving through his hair.

“You’re shaking like a leaf in the fall, Jack.”

“Well, you’re not makin’ this very easy.” He stared at her for a moment longer before he bowed his head and sighed. “Goddamn it.”

She grabbed his face once more and returned him to where he was. He was met with a loving smile and a teasing glimmer in her eyes. She grinned as she came closer to him and whispered, “Well, how ‘bout this for starters?” She kissed his cheek delicately, letting her lips slowly and cautiously touch his face, before she leaned away. “There. That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

He chuckled as he shook his head. “Damn you, Maddie.”

She cocked her head to the side and smirked. “What?”

“How?”

“‘How’ what?”

“How do you do that so easily?”

Maddie shrugged. “Don’t know. I just do.”

He tried to glare at her, but a smirk graced his lips. “You’re so impractical.”

“I think the word you’re lookin’ for is encouraging.”

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. “More like teasin’.”

She smacked his arm with the back of her hand. “Hush up, Jackass. Now come on, let’s put you to bed. I suspect you’ve had a rough day, especially after all this excitement.”

He shoved her gently away. “Oh, shut up.” Cautiously, he settled into his bed roll. Pain wracked his entire torso, making him grimace and gasp. As the pain settled down to a throb, he was surprised to find Maddie at his side with a concerned hand on his chest.

“You doin’ all right, Jack?” she asked as she looked him over.

“I’ll be all right,” he grunted back as he met gazes with her. “I’ve been through worse.”

“Yeah, but still…I’d be extra careful if I were you. I don’t want to have to deal with any ripped stitches. Don’t make the mistake of pushin’ yourself too far.”

“I know my limits, miss,” he growled. “Don’t you go and worry yourself to death over me. I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll be sure to do that, but only if you try to be more careful.” Her visage softened into adoration as she leaned down and kissed his forehead. “Get some sleep.” She stood and walked around to the other side of the fire to her bed roll. She settled into it and rolled over on her side facing him. “Good night, Jack.”

“Night, Maddie,” he softly replied and watched with an adoring smirk as her eyes closed. After another moment or so of studying her closely, Jack turned his head and looked up at the stars. At first, he was too worked over what happened and what didn’t, but eventually, the exhaustion from the long day took over, and he dreamt of fulfilling what he wasn’t able to do while he was awake…and much, much more.


	27. The Return

**Chapter Track** : “Don’t Let Go” – Bryan Adams and Sarah McLachlan, _Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron_ soundtrack

 

Five long days later, on a hot summer afternoon, the weary, dust-covered travelers found themselves riding down a familiar road onto their beloved friend’s ranch. As they crossed the train tracks and onto the property, shouts of excitement sounded. One by one, the ranch hands called out their names, some even ran to tell the others, and as Jack and Maddie pulled up their horses beside the horse corral, the ranch hands surrounded them, applauding their arrival and greeting them with a myriad of questions about their journey. It was overwhelming like before, but it didn’t matter to Jack and Maddie as Bonnie appeared and embraced them.

“You’re finally home!” she exclaimed as she hugged them and kissed their cheeks. “Oh, thank God you’re both all right!” She held them close to her, one arm around each bounty hunter to form a triangular hug.

“Well…,” Jack began with a sheepish chuckle as he looked down at his stomach. Though the bandages weren’t visible, he motioned down to them and said, “Not entirely, but we’re alive.”

Bonnie’s eyes widened. She grasped him firmly by the shoulders and looked him over like an over-protective mother studying her child. “What happened? Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, Miss MacFarlane, just a little shook up is all.”

“But the important thing is that Jack is pardoned of his crimes,” Maddie interjected, wrapping an arm over Jack’s shoulders. “Now he has his whole life ahead of him to do whatever he pleases.”

“Yeah, I don’t even know where to start,” he chuckled as he looked down at her.

“How ‘bout a nice long bath and a home-cooked meal for starters?” Bonnie offered. She eyed them up and down and shook her head. “My Lord, I’ve never seen a dirtier couple than you two. Haven’t ya’ll ever heard of a bath?”

“We’ve been busy, Miss MacFarlane,” Maddie explained sheepishly. “Bein’ shot at and fightin’ criminals don’t give you much of an opportunity to worry about hygiene.”

She took them both by the hand and led them straight to the house. “That’s gonna change pretty darn quick. C’mon, let’s get you cleaned up and settled back at home.”

The exhausted bounty hunters let her lead them up the stairs without a word.

 

*             *             *

 

“So,” Bonnie began as she sat down at the dining table, “how was your journey? Tell me everything.”

Maddie and Jack exchanged looks as they sat down in unison across from her and Drew MacFarlane. Their eyes lingered on each other, now that they were freshened up and wearing clean clothes, two luxuries they weren’t used to. To his delight and surprise, Maddie had changed into a dazzling, emerald-green dress and pulled her hair up into a loose bun, even though it was still relatively damp from the bath she took prior to dinner. He, on the other hand, wore a suit that used to be Nathaniel’s: Bonnie explained that in his rush to leave, he’d forgotten a few things, which was fine by her and Drew. He was uncomfortable with wearing her ex-husband’s attire at first, but all of that dissipated as he stared at the beauty that sat beside him. Their eyes met, and without saying a word, they exchanged a silent conversation on how handsome they looked to each other.

“Hey,” Drew piped up, noticing their wandering eyes and wavering attention-spans. “My daughter just asked you two lovebirds a question.” He smirked and snapped his fingers at them playfully. “Pay attention now.”

The bounty hunters blushed and fixated their attention to Bonnie and her father.

“The bounty hunt was successful,” Maddie responded quickly. She snuck a glance at Jack out of the corner of her eye and grinned, reassuring him she would be doing most of the talking. She looked from Bonnie to Drew and smiled at them. “Jack here did an excellent job. Got shot up more times than I would’ve wanted him to, but he managed well enough. Hell, there were a couple times where I almost lost him, but I was able to sew him back up before things went south.”

Father and daughter stared at them with horrified looks.

“A little reckless, I see,” Drew commented.

“And stupid,” Bonnie pitched in with a jesting smirk.

“Recklessly stupid,” Maddie teased and elbowed Jack carefully in the side.

Jack frowned at them all as he rested his forearms on the table and clasped his hands together. “Well, I’m alive and back here at the ranch. Isn’t that a good thing?”

They nodded, their faces lighting up with pride as they looked at him.

“And you’re a pardoned man, Jack,” Maddie added. She rested a gentle hand on his forearm and gave it a soft squeeze. “You’re now free to start all over again. And you deserve it, if you don’t mind me sayin’ so.”

Jack looked into her eyes and felt his heart gush as he saw the affection he felt for her mirrored in her brown eyes. He beamed graciously at her and said, “Thank you, Maddie.”

“So,” Drew said, breaking their moment after a few seconds, “what will you do now, Mister Marston? I heard tell you’re gonna go back to your ranch and start it back up again soon.”

“Yes, sir, and I’ll be needin’ a few favors from you, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. What can I do for you?”

“I’ll be needin’ some cattle, for starters.”

Bonnie and Maddie leaned back in their seats as the men began talking business; they watched on and listened in silence.

“How many head?”

 “‘Bout fifteen or so, I reckon. Enough to get me goin’ again, I suppose. How much you want for ‘em? I’ve got the money from the bounties I brought in; it’s more than enough to pay Bonnie back and pay for some cattle.”

Drew chuckled and dismissed his question with a wave of his hand. “Don’t you worry about payin’ me. Tell you what, son: why don’t you and I just agree to let you take fourteen cows and a bull, and next year when they start calvin’, you can give me your first ten or so calves? We’ll call that payment enough.”

Jack grinned reverently at the man who’d come to be his father figure and held out his hand. He and Drew shook on it before discussing further on whatever livestock and supplies he needed. Though the list was short—ten or so chickens, a dog, lumber for repairing the house and barn, and some feed for all the livestock—Drew and Bonnie agreed to help him start back up again, and in time, he would pay them back.

In a short while, supper was served. For the first time in a long time, Jack and Maddie enjoyed a home-cooked meal. Instead of munching halfheartedly on venison, hardtack, and beans, they ate mashed potatoes and gravy, steak, fresh vegetables, and desert cakes; instead of sipping coffee around a campfire, they drank fine wine under electric light. The four friends swapped stories: Bonnie and Drew spoke of the goings-on around the ranch, and Jack and Maddie reiterated their adventures without the gruesome details. They joked and laughed well after the meal was over, and as Bonnie and Maddie took away the dishes and began cleaning up, Jack and Drew retired to the living room for drinks and small-talk. The men sat down on the couch. Drew poured himself and his adopted son a glass of the finest whiskey he owned into crystal glasses. They clinked their glasses together before downing the first of many drinks.

As he poured them another glass, Drew said, “I’m happy you’re back here, son. Couldn’t be more proud of you, and so are all the ranch hands. I can’t even begin to tell you what Bonnie thinks of what you’ve done.”

Jack sipped at the whiskey, loving the way it glided down smoothly down his throat. Its bold, smoky flavor and its smooth texture made him feel gaudy, a feeling he rather felt uncomfortable with until now. Tonight, he was a man fit for his title. Tonight, everything changed. _From here on out, I start anew_ , he thought with a satisfied grin. He shared an amicable smile with his elder and replied, “Thank you, Mister MacFarlane. I’m happy to hear that.”

“Your father would be damn proud of you, and your mother. I think they’d have a thing or two to say to you right about now.”

Despite his constant steely control over himself, Jack felt his throat tighten at his friend’s words. “Thank you, sir. I bet they would.” He looked off to the side and bit down on his lip as he thought about his parents, and a deep emptiness that he had forgotten about all those months ago suddenly reemerged, much to his surprise and dislike. “I’ve been so busy bringin’ in bounties I guess I forgot about them. I…I feel bad for sayin’ that.”

Drew clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t be. Like you said, you were busy. Sometimes, things like that rush back up to meet you when you’ve got a moment to clear your mind and sit awhile. Hell, Bonnie has been the same way since she divorced that no-good Nathaniel Johnson: she’s been busy at keepin’ busy just so she doesn’t get bothered by that. It happens, boy, but don’t let it get to you.” He grinned and motioned to the young man’s face. “Looks like you’ve also forgotten to shave. You look like a bear in a monkey suit, son. You’d best trim up a bit and let Bonnie cut your hair or somethin’. Lord knows you need it.”

Jack cringed, disliking the idea completely. To avoid answering him, he took a swig of his whiskey and concentrated on feeling the pleasure of his drink. In truth, he’d forgotten just how long and scruffy his facial hair had grown in the months of travel and gunfights: after he bathed, he happened to notice himself in the mirror and was both impressed and disturbed at what he saw. He ran a hand across his beard, feeling how thick and long it had become, and he honestly couldn’t remember the last time he’d shaved.

“I think Maddie would appreciate it if you trimmed up a bit,” Drew added and gave his shoulder a teasing shake.

Feigning naiveté, Jack blinked and looked at him questioningly. “What do you mean?”

“You and I both know what I’m talkin’ about. The way you and her been lookin’ at each other tonight makes me all the more certain you’re gonna have to pay Eli that ten bucks you owe him from way back.”

Jack frowned regrettably and covered his face with a hand. “Goddamn that man,” he grumbled, getting a boisterous laugh from his friend beside him. “So I guess _everybody_ knows about that now, huh?”

Drew nodded exuberantly and chuckled as he raised his glass and took a refreshing sip. “Bonnie told me the day she found out, which was… _months_ ago, back when you were still on the ranch.” His eyebrows raised and a flash of remembrance lit up his face. “Which reminds me, I still have Féileacán in the corral. I was told you bought her from Bonnie to give to Maddie.” He slapped his back and nodded in approval. “Nice move, there, son.”

Jack’s face reddened. He made a point to not look at him as he downed his second glass of whiskey.

“You’d better slow down, Jack. That’ll knock you on your ass if you’re not too careful.”

“I can handle my whiskey, mister. And I’d appreciate it if you kept this all quiet from Maddie, at least until after tonight. I want to show her the horse myself in a little while, and I’d like it to be a surprise.”

“I know, I know. I’m just pokin’ fun at you and that pretty little girl of yours.”

Jack stared intently at the empty glass in his hands. “She ain’t mine.”

“You sure? ‘Cause she sure does act it.” He put a hand on the young man’s shoulder and smiled down at him. “I’m happy for you two. It’s about damn time.” He shook his shoulder, making Jack sway back and forth. “All I gotta say is good luck with her. She’s a wild one with an angel’s face.” He let go of his shoulder to pour him another glass. “But you already know that.”

Jack opened his mouth to answer, but his jaw dropped and his heart stumbled a beat as Maddie walked into the room. She looked even more beautiful to him the second time around: seeing her in a dress with her hair done up and the faintest of makeup that complimented her face was spellbinding. She sat down across from him and Drew in a leather chair. As Drew poured her a glass and handed it to her, he couldn’t help but think, _Damn, she looks good tonight._

Maddie thanked Drew for the drink and tipped her head back slightly as she sipped at the whiskey. Jack watched transfixed as her expression melted into absolute pleasure; it was strangely arousing for him as her eyes closed softly and her eyebrows relaxed above them, her full painted lips staining the edge of the glass with the red lipstick she was wearing. She hummed with contentment. “Damn, that’s good,” she said as she opened her eyes and looked at Drew.

“I’ve been savin’ it for a night like this, ya know.”

“No kiddin’. I haven’t had a drink like this in _ages_.”

“Well, drink up, little darlin’. We’ve got plenty of it.”

She smirked and took another sip. “Will do, mister.”

Three glasses and one long conversation later, Drew and Bonnie decided it best to call it a night. They insisted that Jack be given a room in the house, but he kindly refused the offer and instead decided to take up his father’s old sleeping quarters beside the other ranch hands’ cabins. Even after another five minutes of persuasion, he wasn’t swayed, and eventually, Bonne and Drew withdrew from the matter and instead helped him what little of possessions he had into his father’s shed. Maddie helped as well, despite being in such a beautiful dress, and when Drew and Bonnie retired to the house for the night, she helped him unpack and rearrange the small building so he had room to sleep and get comfortable. When that was done, she turned to leave and head back to the ranch house as well.

“Maddie, wait,” Jack said, leaping up from the bed and rushing up to her.

She paused at the doorway, her long gown swaying to a stop as she looked back at him. “Yes?”

He took her hand in his, raised it up to his lips, and kissed it. “Thank you for helpin’ me.”

She blushed and she stuttered back, “You’re w-welcome.”

Their eyes met a while longer before Jack stepped closer to her and said, “And…I want to show you somethin’.”

She blinked and wrinkled her forehead in confusion.

His heart thumping in his chest, he took her by the hand and led her to the horse corral. “I’ve been wantin’ to give you your Christmas present for a long time now, and I’m sorry it’s taken me so long, but…” He opened the gate for her, and they walked hand in hand into the corral. The horses looked at them with perked ears; some of them walked forward, expecting a treat from their late-night visitors. Sundance and Gypsy were the closest to them as the herd ambled up to them. When he found her, he pointed the tobiano filly out to her and said, “There’s your Christmas present.”

Maddie’s face lit up, and her mouth dropped open as she and the blue-eyed filly met gazes. “Féileacán!” she cried out in disbelief and rushed forward. The tobiano whickered cheerfully and trotted up to her, bobbing her head gaily and carrying her tail high. Horse and woman came together; Maddie affectionately stroked the horse’s muzzle and her black-and-white forelock while the horse stood taking in her scent and staring at her with bright eyes.

“My God, my little lass, it’s been too long!” she exclaimed and hugged the filly’s neck. As she released her, she stood back and looked back at Jack. “I thought Bonnie sold her months ago!” She redirected her attention back to the horse and took in how healthy she looked. “You look well! God, Jack, look at how much she’s grown! She’s nearly filled out! Look at those strong legs! She’s _destined_ to be a cow-pony.”

“She’s destined to be whatever kind of horse you want her to be,” Jack replied as he came up beside her and petted the horse’s pink velveteen muzzle. Féileacán moved her lips for his hand, acting as if to nibble on his fingers, but it was only horseplay. “I bought her from Bonnie to give to you. She’s all yours, Maddie.”

“Thank you SO much, Jack!” she said and threw her arms around him.

Jack stumbled back a step, taken aback by her sudden ferocious embrace and at the stab of pain he felt from his stomach wound. As the pain ebbed, he wrapped his arms around her, and he gasped and stood frozen in place as her lips traveled up his neck and stopped at his cheek. He shivered involuntarily, stunned by her passion and gratitude, and as she leaned back to look at him in the eyes with rapture, he stared down at her speechless.

The look she gave him made him even more confident about her feelings toward him, and he her. If he wasn’t sure of her returning any affection he was planning on showing her, he certainly wasn’t mistaken now. Her eyes searched his, and they revealed to him more than her thanks for receiving such a gracious gift. In her eyes, he saw unbridled regard for him.

“I can’t thank you enough for givin’ me this wonderful horse,” she whispered, her eyes half-closing as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her fingers wove into his hair, and she drew his face closer to hers so that their noses touched.

“You really don’t need to thank me,” he murmured breathlessly. “I just figured you’d miss her too much. Plus, with the way she is with you, she’s practically your horse. No one else would suit her but you.” His bravery growing, he pulled her closer and held her tightly against him. He looked deep into her eyes before he cautiously inched his face closer to hers. He grinned internally when Maddie closed her eyes and waited for him to follow through.

Their moment was interrupted as Féileacán bumped her muzzle against them. When they ignored her and tried to continue what they started, the horse pinned her ears back and pawed at the ground. She whickered and rubbed her head against them, jostling them about and completely ruining their chance to take back their moment.

“Hey, do you mind?!” Jack yelled, throwing Féileacán a dirty look. He groaned with frustration and rolled his eyes when the filly rubbed her head against the side of his leg.

Maddie stepped away from him long enough to console the attention-starved equine. She shook her head and petted the ornery filly on the head and neck. “You’re just _dyin’_ for attention, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, and it’s startin’ to piss me off,” Jack grumbled and glared at the animal. “Goddamn horse.”

“You can’t blame her, though,” Maddie reasoned as she combed her fingers through her forelock. “She hasn’t seen us in months, and I’m pretty sure no one’s ridden her while we were away.” She grinned. “But I’m gonna change that.” She stepped away from Jack and was about to head to the stables when he grabbed her and pulled her back.

“Wait a minute,” he said, his face set in a determined expression. He wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her close to him. “Where do you think you’re goin’?”

She blinked, abashed by his boldness. “Well, I _was_ goin’ to go get a bridle from the stable…” She cocked an eyebrow coquettishly at him and smirked. “Unless you’ve got something else planned.”

“You can bet your bottom dollar I do.” And he drew her in, so close that he felt her heartbeat.

Before he could kiss her, Féileacán once again bumped her head against them and nickered.

“Damn you, Féileacán!” he exclaimed and shooed the horse away. “Get outta here, you pest!”

The filly just stared at him, one ear cocked back and the other pricked forward.

“That’s it,” Jack snapped and, with a regrettable look, he withdrew his arms from Maddie to push the horse on the chest and make her back up. He clicked his tongue to get her to go, but Féileacán stubbornly held her ground, pinning back her ears and swishing her tail. After several more pushes and shoves, Jack gave up with an exasperated cry and stood glaring at the horse with crossed arms and a nasty scowl.

Maddie laughed at the absurd scenario playing before her. Shaking her head and giggling, she turned and walked to the barn. Like a dancer in unison with her partner’s movements, Féileacán turned as well and walked beside Maddie, her head at her right shoulder. When Maddie stopped, she stopped. She stood obediently outside the tack room door, and when her rider came back out with her bridle and offered her the bit, she took it without hesitation.

Jack ambled up to the beautiful females, his arms still crossed and his irritation lingering. “Well, isn’t this just a load of shit. I can’t get her to budge, but the second you walk away, she follows you like a dog.” He shook his head as came to stand beside Maddie. “There’s no winnin’ with you two, is there?”

“I guess not,” Maddie chortled back as she slipped the head stall over the filly’s head and adjusted the throat lash. Maddie dropped the reins and reached up at the messy bun that had begun to wobble out of its bobby pins and hair tie. With a flick of her wrists and a shake of her head, her long hair tumbled down her back and hung long and slightly wavy. She set the hair tie and pins atop a saw horse in the tack room before walking back out and rejoining her horse. She crisscrossed the reins atop the tobiano’s withers and stood with her left hand clutching both the reins and the end of her mane; her left shoulder touched the horse’s right as she stood broadside along with the animal. With her right hand, Maddie gathered up her dress and held it up as she started swinging her right leg.

Jack watched this and blinked, absolutely baffled. “Maddie, what are you doin’?”

“I’m mountin’ up.”

“But you’re wearin’ a dress.”

“So?”

“Well, let me at least help you up there,” he offered and stepped closer to her. He uncrossed his arms and cupped his hands together below his knee, forming a step for her, but the second he did so, she swung her leg up, letting her momentum help her up and onto the horse’s back. After pulling herself upright onto Féileacán, she fluffed out her dress and fixed how it lay across her horse’s back and rump. Though the dress was long, she still showed her dress boots as she readjusted her weight and got situated.

Jack straightened from his bent stance and crossed his arms. “Well, alright then,” he huffed. “Guess you didn’t need my help after all.”

“This isn’t the first time I’ve ridden bareback in a dress, Jack,” she laughed. She gathered the reins in her hands and squeezed her ankles against Féileacán’s sides. The filly walked forward, her head held high and her ears pricked. As she rode the horse around the corral, Maddie explained, “When I was a little girl, my mother taught me how to mount a horse this way. I was still wearin’ dresses up until the day Mama died and Pa needed me to help with the ranch…but when she was alive and well, when I was old enough and tall enough, she showed me how, and every day after chores, I’d ride her white mare Isabelle.” She grinned down at the tobiano and leaned forward to pat her neck. “That horse was so gentle and easy-goin’: I used to walk underneath her belly and pull her tail when I was very little, but that old mare never much cared what I did.”

“I had a feelin’ you were raised in the saddle,” Jack said as he watched her and the horse. Maddie clicked her tongue, and the horse eased into a trot. “They don’t call you a cowgirl for nothin’.”

“Indeed,” she snorted and urged Féileacán into a lope around the corral. By now, the other horses had lost interest and were congregating around the east side of the fence, staying out of the way as they stood about swatting at flies and dozing off. For ten minutes, Maddie rode her horse around, asking her to change gaits every so often and performing small tricks for Jack, like rearing up and side-stepping. Eventually, though, horse and rider grew tired, and Maddie slipped off her back and took off the bridle. With one last loving hug around her neck, she bade the filly good night, and she and Jack walked out of the corral and back to Jack’s shed.

The two lingered at Jack’s door, holding hands and looking longingly at each other.

“It’s gettin’ late,” Maddie murmured. “We should turn in for the night. Lord knows we’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow—well, _I_ do, at least. _You_ , on the other hand, aren’t gonna be doin’ much, with that bullet wound you’ve got.” Her eyes drifted down to his stomach; her eyes narrowed into an empathetic wince. “I’m still so sorry you got shot, Jack. I should’ve—”

“Maddie, hush,” he interjected and squeezed her hands comfortingly. “You couldn’t have known it was gonna happen, so don’t beat yourself up over it. Besides, I’m fine. I’ll be back on my feet and shovelin’ horse shit in no time.”

They shared a brief laugh.

Maddie smiled up at him. “Thanks again for the present.”

“No problem, darlin’. It’s a present fit for a pretty lady like you.” He stared deep into her brown eyes. _If it weren’t for that damn horse, we would’ve kissed already_ , he thought with a frown. He knew his moment was taken mercilessly from him. _But there might be a chance yet…_ Slowly, he drew nearer to her, hoping to redeem himself.

He stopped short inches from her lips to look her in the eyes and search for permission to continue. He blinked when she shied away from him, her cheeks flushed and an embarrassed smirk on her lips. She tucked her chin down into her collarbone and avoided his gaze. Confused, he placed a hand underneath her chin and lifted her head back up.

“Maddie? What’s wrong?”

“Nothin’. It’s just…”

“What?”

Her smirk widened into an amused smile, and she laughed as she replied, “I just can’t stop thinkin’ about how Féileacán interrupted you. I guess she doesn’t much care for me getting’ all the attention.”

Jack frowned and took a step back from her. “You’re makin’ this a lot harder than it should be,” he grumbled and let go of her hands.

She laughed and returned his hands into hers. She pulled him back to her and said, “I’m sorry, but that was just funny. And you’re right: this shouldn’t be so hard.”

“But it sure as hell is turnin’ out that way.”

She cupped the side of his face with a hand. Her eyes softened with reassurance and affection. “It’ll happen when it happens, Jack.”

He looked to the side and frowned, deeply troubled and not knowing what to say to her. His heart fluttered as her lips brushed his cheek. As she released him and stepped back, she gave him one last sweet smile before saying, “Good night, Jack,” before turning and walking to the ranch house.

“Night, Maddie.” He watched her walk away until she disappeared around the corner of the general store, and after another moment of silent wonder, he turned and walked inside his shed, closing the door quietly behind him.

 

*             *             *

 

                Blueish-white smoke curled and danced lazily up Maddie’s face and around her Stetson as she brought life to the cigar she held to her mouth. Taking two more puffs of it, she lowered the cigar down and rested her arm on the armrest of the wooden rocking chair. She let the smoke roll off her lips and float upwards, closing her eyes to make sure they wouldn’t sting. When the smoke dissipated, she opened her eyes again and stared out across Hennigan’s Stead, getting a full view of the surrounding plains as well as the ranch from her viewpoint on the front porch of the ranch house. Her duster was draped over the back of the chair, showing to Jack her long-sleeved shirt and pants. She had abandoned the gorgeous gown he’d seen her in two nights ago and returned to her usual attire.

“God _damn_ , this is a good cigar!” she said and looked over at Jack. A relaxed smirk crossed her lips and her eyes brightened as they fell on him. He sat beside her on the porch railing, his legs dangling beside her arm. “I’ve been cravin’ one like this since we took down those gangs at Gaptooth Ridge.”

“I’m surprised you waited this long to have one,” Jack responded with a chuckle as he brought up his cigarette to his lips. Through it, he added, “We’ve been here for two days now.”

“I know, and I wanted one the night we got back, but oh well.” She took off her hat and set it across her lap; she hummed with contentment and rested her head back against the top of the chair, her long hair blanketing her shoulders and chest. “I haven’t been this peaceful in so long, Jack.”

“Feels good, doesn’t it?” he asked as he exhaled the smoke. He stared at her, feeling an admiring grin spread across his lips.

“Yes, it does.” Her peaceful countenance slowly formed into a troubled frown; her brow furrowed as she opened her eyes and sat up. She brought the cigar to her lips again and took three short puffs followed by one long drag. When the billowing cloud danced away from her face and flitted out into the wide world, she watched it with a far-off gaze.

“What’s wrong?” Jack asked.

“I’m leavin’ tomorrow mornin’.”

A pang of sadness stabbed at Jack. He frowned deeply. “For your uncle’s funeral?”

She nodded. “Aunt Emily called me earlier today. She was in tears the whole time we were talking. I haven’t spoken to her in so long…” She winced as she recalled their conversation and shook her head. She took a puff of her cigar before she continued, “She wanted to know when I could be in Blackwater so we could make arrangements and lay him to rest. I said I’d be there tomorrow afternoon. I’m taking Féileacán this time: Gypsy could use the rest and Féileacán could use the exercise.” She frowned deeply. “Father will be there, of course, along with… _her_.” She shook her head, looking absolutely disgusted as she brought the cigar to her lips again and puffed on it angrily. “I don’t see why _she_ has to be there: she’s NOT a part of this family, as far as I’m concerned.”

“That may be true,” Jack stated, “but she is still your pa’s wife. I know you don’t like her much, but you should at least _try_ to get along with her, for your pa’s sake…and your uncle’s.”

Maddie nodded curtly and sighed. “I know, I know. Still pisses me off that she’ll be there, though.”

“I know, darlin’. I’m sorry.”

“Me, too.” She shook her head once more, and a look of dread crossed her face. Her eyebrows narrowed sorrowfully. “Tomorrow’s gonna be hell.” She glanced up at him with a sad grin. “I wish you could be there with me…” Her eyes drifted to his stomach, and she frowned. “But you won’t be able to get up in the saddle, much less keep up with me and Féileacán. You need to stay here and heal.”

Jack felt a wash of relief flow through him. To be at that funeral would most certainly be his death toll. For a moment, he was grateful that he’d been shot a week ago. He stared out across the ranch, not particularly seeing it as he became lost in thoughts of what could very well be his last moments were he to traverse across Hennigan’s Stead and West Elizabeth to attend the funeral of the man he’d murdered. He shuddered as a shiver ran through his body.

Maddie noticed this and cocked an eyebrow. “You cold or somethin’?”

He shook his head.

“Then what was that shake all about?”

He shrugged. “Don’t know.” He cleared his throat and asked, “So…when will you be back, then?”

“As soon as possible. I don’t want to be in that town any longer than I need to be.”

He tilted his head down and frowned admonishingly at her. “Maddie…”

She looked back at him and turned her palms upward. “What? What do you want me to say? That I’ll stay as long as I can to be with my father? That we’ll have a grand old time catchin’ up and havin’ heart-to-heart talks with him?” She shook her head and stared back out across the plains, bringing her cigar back up to her mouth. She took three quick frustrated puffs and blew the smoke out haughtily. “I don’t think so. He may be my father, but he’s still a prick.”

Jack hopped down from the railing and stood in front of her with crossed arms, being careful not to burn himself with his cigarette. “Madeline,” he began gruffly, “promise me you’ll spend _some_ time with your father. That’s all I ask of you. Just _one_ _day_ with him, alright?”

She refused to look at him and instead of replying, she puffed on her cigar.

“Maddie…”

“Alright, alright!” she snapped as she looked up at him. “Fine, I’ll…go have a drink with my old man, or somethin’. There. Ya happy?”

He grinned and knelt before her. He took her free hand in his, their smokes down by their sides and out of the way, and he brought it up to his lips and kissed it. “Yeah, I’m happy.”

 

*             *             *

 

Bright and early the next morning, Jack met Maddie in front of the stable. The sun was barely on the rise as she saddled up Féileacán. Maddie was dressed in her usual attire, and she carried only one of her semi-automatic pistols on her right hip. Her long duster swayed in the morning breeze as she threw her saddle up and over her horse’s back.

“You’re up awful early,” Jack grumbled as he stumbled up to her and the horse. He rubbed his eyes and yawned, still half-asleep. Half-mindedly, he raised his hand and stroked Féileacán’s soft pink muzzle. The filly nickered, her blue eyes wide and radiating joy.

“Good mornin’, Jack,” Maddie greeted with a chuckle. “I see you’re still half-asleep.” She looked over at him with an adoring smile.

“Hush it,” he mumbled as he ran a hand across his face. He frowned when his fingers ran across and through his thick, long facial hair, and he mentally reminded himself he’d shave sometime today, if only to take Drew’s advice and clean up for Maddie. He stepped closer to her as she began tightening up the front cinch; his hand brushed the small of her back.

At his faint touch, she paused and looked at him. She withdrew her right hand from the cinch to cup the side of his face. “You gonna be okay while I’m gone?” Her face shown general concern, yet her voice was tainted with humor.

Jack rolled his eyes and said, “Yes, Ma, I’ll be just fine without you.” He shook his head. “I don’t need lookin’ after, Maddie.”

She shook her head and looked him over skeptically. Her hand dropped back down to her side. “I don’t know… Last time I left you alone, you got shot. Had I been there to protect you—”

“Maddie, stop. Just stop beatin’ yourself up over that.”

She flashed her eyebrows in a challenging way and stepped closer to him. “Well?”

He swallowed hard. “Well what?”

She smirked and cocked an eyebrow. “Aren’t you gonna kiss me goodbye, Jack?”

“Oh.” And he leaned in.

“Maddie! Don’t you _dare_ think about leavin’ me before you say goodbye!”

The bounty hunters flinched and looked over their shoulders just as Bonnie came jogging up to them from the general store. Not catching on what she’d interrupted, she ran up to Maddie and threw her arms around her. Jack stood back a step to give them room as Maddie returned the embrace.

“I wouldn’t dream of leavin’ without sayin’ goodbye, Bonnie,” Maddie chuckled and kissed her on the cheek.

They released each other and looked each other intently, as if this were the last time they’d see each other. Bonnie grasped her face with both hands and said, “Now, you come home safe and sound, alright? You come home as soon as you can. We can help you get through this, ya know.”

Maddie rolled her eyes and leaned her head out of Bonnie’s hands. Her cheeks took on a pink shade as she turned and finished saddling up Féileacán. “Bonnie, please. This isn’t the first funeral I’ve been through. I’ll be fine.”

“But your uncle was a very important man to you, hon.”

“He _was_. Now he’s dead. That’s that.”

Bonnie and Jack exchanged troubled looks.

“Maddie, are you sure you’ll be all right?” Jack asked.

She adamantly shook her head, her long tresses shaking from the movement. “No, Jack. I’ll be fine riding there, and I’ll be just fine when I get back.”

A part of Jack was thankful for her response: he let go of a breath he didn’t know he was holding. He and Bonnie stood abreast of each other and watched as Maddie mounted up. Beneath her, Féileacán chewed at the bit and flicked her ears forward, eager to go.

“Take care, Maddie,” Bonnie said.

“Will do, miss. I’ll be back tomorrow evenin’. Until then, see ya ‘round.” She tipped her hat to her friend and smiled. Her eyes snagged on Jack, and a deep well of longing erupted within them. “See ya soon, Jack. Don’t go hurtin’ yourself while I’m gone.”

Jack rolled his eyes and smirked. “I’ll try to keep that in mind, miss. You take care.”

She smiled and tipped her hat to him before she set heels to Féileacán’s sides. The filly pranced forward, head held high and her black-and-white tail swishing back and forth. Maddie coaxed the horse into a lope. Before she rode off the property and onto Hennigan’s Stead, she looked back at Jack, right into his eyes, and she smiled warmly at him, as if to say, “Next time, cowboy.” Maddie spurred the filly into a gallop, and before Jack and Bonnie knew it, she was gone in a cloud of trail dust.

Jack stared after her. He sighed sadly, already missing her deeply. _Now what I gonna do, besides lay around all day?_ He looked over at Bonnie, and he blinked as he saw a peculiar look on her face.

She smiled at him, her blue eyes alit with mirth. “You missed your chance, Jack.”

He scrunched up his brow. “What do you mean?”

“You should’ve kissed her goodbye.”

He threw her a nasty frown over his shoulder before he retired to his father’s shed. He shut the door behind him, hearing Bonnie’s hearty laughter as he laid back down in bed and pulled the covers up to his chin.


	28. The Parting Glass

**Chapter Track** : “The Parting Glass” – The Wailin’ Jennys

 

The pen scratched across the page of his journal as he began to write in a wild frenzy; this time, it all flowed beautifully from his mind, down his arm, and through his fingers onto the paper. He’d tried countless times earlier that day, but it was all a jumbled, incoherent mess. At last, he’d gotten it right, and now that he had, his hand almost couldn’t keep up as the words flowed effortlessly in his mind.

_Pa always said that people deserve a second chance, that they can start all over and things will work out. He was partially right, but then again, ‘people don’t forget; nothing gets forgiven’. I was sixteen when the coward by the name of Edgar Ross shot my father down in cold blood, all for the sake of getting credit over ridding the land of the last outlaw. My father was once an outlaw, but that all changed when he married my mother and had me and my late sister. He quit that life when they left him for dead, and so we started anew and built our ranch Beecher’s Hope with the hope of ripping out the pages of our past life and writing a different chapter in our book._

_When Pa was mercilessly shot down, and Ma and me rode back to our home and found him dead in a puddle of his own blood, I vowed to take vengeance on the man who stole everything from me. Ma wasn’t having none of that, however, and she told me to focus on becoming a better man. ‘Learn from the mistakes our family has made, Jack,’ she told me, ‘and make a fresh start for yourself.’_

_Then she died three years later; tuberculosis took her quick and sudden. She kept it hidden from me as long as she possibly could, but when I found out, I did everything I could to keep her alive. Some things you just can’t change, though, no matter how hard you try. I buried her on the hill right beside Pa. Then I saddled up my father’s horse and I went out looking for the bastard who was responsible for the pain and suffering I’d endured for three and a half years._

_I found him at Lake Don Julio, and I ended his life as quickly as he’d done with my father’s. And I was happy to do it, too, if it weren’t for the crippling weight of my parents’ disappointment I felt afterward. I struggled for a bit, even left the decaying ranch and followed in my father’s footsteps exploring this vast, wonderful world. But it wasn’t enough, and eventually, I ran into a bad spell and lost my way. I’d killed fourteen people, and when I got arrested, I thought my life was at its pitiful end._

Jack paused in his furious scribbling to smile.

_And that’s when she came into my life. The day I met the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on, I was petrified and star-struck. Madeline Ross, a woman with true grit and a backbone of steel, looked at me through Armadillo’s jail cell bars like I was nothing but a rotting carcass, but she and Bonnie took me to the MacFarlane ranch. And there, the hard part started. I was worked hard and became their slave, all the while learning the meaning of life and the value of hard work. Granted, it took some time for all that to sink into my thick skull, but when it did, I began to appreciate her as well. I never realized that one woman could terrify and change me so much, if not make me realize that there was more to life than guns and blood, that there was a life outside of the one I’d built up around me that I could obtain once I paid my penance._

_My time at the MacFarlane ranch was educational, needless to say. Maddie and Bonnie kept me busy with chores, even had me do night watch and break a few horses—“join up” with them, as Maddie put it—and slowly, something deep inside me came back to life. Every time I looked at her, my heart just stopped. It was like someone punched me in the gut: something was getting beaten back into me the likes of which I never knew could be regained. Though I have to admit she tested me to my breaking point, I was impressed by her tenacity and her fearlessness. Here was this small, pretty little thing in man’s clothing staring down a lunatic outlaw, some lost prodigal son, and she never once flinched or backed down. She stuck to her guns—literally—and she put me in my place time and time again. Lord knows I needed it._

_And just when I thought things couldn’t get more taxing or challenging, Maddie and I began my quest of redemption. We brought in fourteen bounties, got shot and almost killed on multiple occasions, and all the while we fought to see which of us would come out the better, tougher person. It was a close tie, to say the least, but we learned through each other respect, discipline, and friendship. What we discovered out there on the trails, out in the endless plains and mountains and the painted sunsets and sunrises, has become something so dear to me, and it astounds me even now to realize just how important she’s become to me. I can’t tell myself enough how much she means to me, nor how much she’s changed me into the man I am today. I’m pardoned, I’m now free to do whatever I wish, but all I want to do is be with her, and I don’t care what it takes or what it costs. Even if I have to give up everything just to have the chance to be by her side, I’d do it in a heartbeat._

_And to think, I thought this would never happen to me someday…_

Jack’s bright smile faded.

_But how do you tell all this to the niece of the man who you k—_

Jack paused. His hand hovered above the open journal. He sat up in his chair and raised his head. He strained his ears and turned his head to the side.

Sure enough, the sound of a galloping horse approaching his shed reached his ears. An excited smile burst upon his mouth as he stood up quickly out of the chair and set his pen down beside his open journal. _It’s her_ , he thought with a warm splash of hope across his chest. He stumbled to the door and wrenched it open, nearly falling over the threshold in his haste to see his sweetheart.

Maddie loped Féileacán around the corner of the general store. Maddie’s duster and hat turned grey from all the trail dust. As the two exhausted travelers neared him, Jack jogged up to meet them beside the hitching post, thinking she’d stop her horse right in front of his sleeping quarters.

“ _Thank God_ _you’re back!_ I was bored half to death sittin’ around all day and…” He stopped in mid-sentence and mid-stride when she rode past him and dismounted Féileacán outside the barn. Without looking back at him, she led the tobiano into the closest stall and began unsaddling the tired and sweaty filly. Perplexed, Jack walked into the barn and approached her from behind. He put a hand on her shoulder and asked softly, “Maddie? You okay? What’s wrong?”

She sniffed as she loosened the cinches and pulled off the saddle and blanket. She sat the saddle roughly atop a saw horse and threw the blanket on top to let it dry out. She turned back to the pinto and began unbuckling the throat lash on the headstall.

“Maddie, answer me. Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” she murmured back, her voice faint. “It’s just been a long ride, that’s all.”

“I don’t think the ride’s got anythin’ to do with it, darlin’.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and gently pulled her away from the horse. He turned her around and looked her over carefully, noticing how exhausted and grief-stricken she was. Bags had formed under her red, puffy eyes that held a pained, faraway look. Her hair was a tangled, dirt-sodden mess from her hasty ride back. A deep frown settled fervently across her lips; she averted his gaze off and stared off to the side.

“How…how was it?” he asked tenderly. His thumb traced hearts on her bicep as he stared down at her, waiting for an answer.

She sighed heavily, her shoulders sagging. She ran a hand over her dirty face and sniffed once more. “It was as I’d expected: painful and egregious to attend. Everyone from Blackwater was there…Aunt Emily’s a wreck; even though they buried my uncle a while ago after they found him, we still did a service for him, and Jesus Christ, Jack…She was cryin’ just as hard as she was the day she found out her husband was killed. I held her through the whole thing as she sobbed in my arms.” She buried her face in her hands and shook her head. Her long hair tumbled down over her face and hands like a dark veil. “It was terrible. I never even got to see Uncle Edgar one last time, and now the only way I can visit him is go see his grave along with Mama’s.” She sniffed again and lifted her face from her hands long enough to turn around and pull off the bridle from Féileacán’s dainty head. She gave the horse an amicable pat on the neck when the filly blew loudly and shook herself, causing a cloud of dust to erupt from her coat and linger around her and her rider. “Father was there…and so was _she_.” She kept her attention fixated on the saliva-soaked bit and sweat-lathered headstall as she held the bridle in her hands.

“Did you talk to him?”

A sour scowl quickly crossed Maddie’s face. “It was…I…” She sighed and ran a hand through her tangled tresses. “Well, it’s not like I didn’t try.” For the first time since she returned, she looked up at him, a flicker of disappointment dancing in her eyes. “I _tried_ to talk to my father, like I promised you, but then he started sayin’ some horrible things, and I wanted to leave that cemetery as soon as I could.” She eyed him up and down, as if she were seeing him for the first time, and a look of horror crossed her face as she said, “He thinks you…”

Jack narrowed his eyes and felt a frown tug at the corners of his lips. “What? What did he say?”

“Father kept tryin’ to convince me you were the one who killed my uncle.” She shook her head vigorously, denying the words even after they were long-since said. “He kept sayin’ to me _over_ and _over_ and _OVER_ again that he was _absolutely sure **you**_ were the one who did it, kept tellin’ me to go get you and bring you in to Blackwater jail.”

Jack’s heart skipped a beat. “And do you believe him?”

She bit down on her lip and looked off to the side. “That’s the thing…I don’t know _what_ to believe.”

“What does your heart tell you?”

“I…I don’t know. I mean, I can understand _why_ he thinks you did it: you had motive, and unfortunately our families are bound in the most horrendous of ways. He’s more than certain you did it.”

“But what do _you_ think?”

She looked him in the eyes. “Did you?”

He instinctually shook his head. “No, I did not. Like I’ve said before, I thought about it, but...no, I didn’t.”

The countenance she gave him made him certain she wasn’t entirely convinced; nonetheless, she gave him a troubled half-smile.

Jack smirked down at her, hoping to relieve her of the stress she’d had to endure. “If it’s any consolation, I’m glad you’re back.”

She grinned up at him, her eyes softening with mirth and gratitude. “Me too. This is where I belong, anyways.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him fiercely. “I don’t care what anyone says. I don’t care what my father thinks of you or what the people in Blackwater say. All I know is that this is where I belong…here…with you and Bonnie and everyone else that’s dear to me.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Jack said as he returned the embrace. He held her close, even though he was screaming internally.

As she leaned out of his arms, she studied his face and brushed her hand across his smooth jaw and trimmed beard and mustache. She grinned. “You shaved.”

“I did.”

She cocked her head to the side and smiled coyly. “For me?”

He blushed and looked to the side. “Drew was pesterin’ me about it. Bonnie almost tied me to a chair.”

Maddie laughed and ran a hand through his clean, shorter hair. “You look good, Jack.”

He helped brush out Féileacán, and after she had freshened up and changed into clean clothes, they spent the rest of the day relaxing and catching up on the front porch of the ranch house. Only when Maddie started to doze off in the rocking chair did they decide to call it a night, and before he turned to retire to his shed, he kissed her on the cheek and bid her good night.

It was the first time she’d truly smiled since returning, and as he watched her disappear behind the front door, he knew things could only get better with time.

 

*             *             *

 

Two long weeks passed before Jack deemed himself healed up enough, and despite Maddie’s and Bonnie’s pleadings, he stubbornly ignored them and the twinge in his stomach every time he tossed a bale or mucked out a stall or rode his horse during night watch. After being completely helpless and useless by his standards, he felt the necessity to get back to work alongside the ranch hands. He felt relieved and happy to be doing something physical: he could only stand to be lying around for so long.

Often, he found himself working alongside Maddie. In the evenings, when chores were done, they took their horses for a ride around the plains. Slowly, Maddie began to smile more. She still felt troubled over what happened to her uncle and felt compelled to find out, but she was starting to let it go and accept what had happened to Edgar. It was a strange relief for Jack to see her not obsess over her uncle’s death. He helped keep her preoccupied with the daily tasks, but he also kept her smiling and spoke often to her. More than once did they share a smoke on the porch and swap books or sit in silence and watch the world go by. Rapidly, all was getting progressively better, and Jack couldn’t have been a happier man.

He got the most splendid surprise at the end of the third week. As was usual, he’d helped with the evening chores, but as he was about to retire to his father’s shed and wash off the day’s sweat and grime, he was surprised to see Maddie standing at the door of his home waiting for him. He stumbled to a stop and felt his jaw drop: she was wearing a beautiful blue dress that fit her petite form in a stunning way; her hair was curled and pinned halfway up, and she wore a slight amount of make-up and matching earrings to go with her dress. She stood before him beaming, her hands clasped together in front of her.

“Evenin’, Jack,” she said sweetly as he came up to her.

“M-Maddie? What’s…what are you doin’?”

She blinked and tilted her head slightly to the side. “What do you mean?”

He gestured to her. “Why are you wearin’ that?”

Maddie smiled and took his hand in hers. She pulled him into the shed and stopped him beside his bed. She pointed down at the clean dark suit that lay neatly atop it. “Clean up and change into that.”

“But I don’t—”

“Just please do it.” She squeezed his hand affectionately before letting go and stepping back outside, her long gown swishing and trailing behind her. “I’ll wait for you.”

“What’s goin’ on?”

Her smile brightened as she looked back at him over her shoulder. Her hand lingered on the door handle as she said, “You’ll soon find out. Now get cleaned up, and make it quick.” With that, she closed the door quietly behind her.

“What the hell?” Jack asked aloud before he obeyed her orders. It took him ten minutes to bathe and change into the thing he despised wearing. Still utterly confused, he walked outside and joined her. “Alright, what the hell’s goin’ on?”

She smiled brightly at him and took his hand. “Come with me. I’ve got a surprise for you.”

Irritated by her answer, he intertwined his fingers with hers and allowed her to lead him over to the ranch hands’ cabins.

The first thing he noticed was the large crowd of ranch hands gathered around a bonfire in front of their homes. Bonnie and Drew were among the group, smiling and talking to the men and women who helped make their ranch a reality and kept it flourishing after so many years. Every single person was dressed in a formal manner: the women wore beautiful gowns, the men in suits. Against the side of the general store, several tables were set up and held a feast of various food and several barrels of beer, alongside many bottles of whiskey and other bottles of alcohol.

As they approached, the crowd turned and greeted them with cheers and applause. They all congratulated Jack, shaking his hand and patting him on the back and shoulders. He thanked them all, utterly confused but nevertheless replying kindly to their words. When at last the pleasantries were over, he turned to Maddie, grabbed her by both shoulders, looked into her eyes, and demanded, “Okay, _what the hell is goin’ on?_ ”

She threw back her head as she guffawed. She cupped the side of his face with a gentle hand and said affectionately, “This party is for you, Jack. Bonnie and I talked about doin’ this since you and I returned, and we’ve all seen how much you’ve grown and changed, so we wanted to celebrate how far you’ve come. So congratulations, Jack Marston, on your new life and becomin’ a man.”

He was speechless as he stared back at her. He took her hand in his and squeezed it lovingly. “My God, Maddie…Thank you. I…I don’t know what to say...”

She inclined her head in response. “You’re most welcome.”

He smiled brightly at her, his heart enveloping in the warm, splashing embrace of adoration.

“C’mon. It’s time we started celebratin’. Let’s eat and drink!”

“I’m right there with you, Madeline.”

They partook in the glorious feast alongside everyone else at the ranch, enjoying steak, potatoes, vegetables, soup, chicken, and various desserts. Jack was more than happy to be at the table of such a wondrous amount of food: as was usual at the end of the day, he was famished, and to enjoy such a satisfying meal accompanied with the finest whiskey and beer and alongside the most beautiful woman he’d ever met and all his friends was beyond his comprehension. He ate and drank his fill, enjoying the mirth and fellowship he felt alongside such a fine group of people.

Quite quickly, someone had picked up a violin, another a guitar, and another a harmonica, and before everyone knew it, lively music filled the evening air alongside the euphony of talk from the ranch hands. To his enjoyment, several couples rose and began dancing around on the other side of the bonfire. Jack and Maddie sat quietly eating and watching with small smiles. Beside him, Maddie swayed to the beat of the music, looking enthralled and watching with an admiring gleam in her eye. After a while, they’d finished their meal and got another round of drinks.

After several quiet minutes, Jack glanced over at Maddie. A perplexed frown curved the corners of his lips when he caught her staring fondly at him.

“You wanna dance?”

He blinked. “With you?”

“No, with Eli.” She rolled her eyes and elbowed him in the side. “Who else?”

They shared a laugh. It was all Jack could do to keep her gaze; he couldn’t help but blush and stare down at his beer ashamed.

“You _do_ know how to dance, right?”

“I… I was never taught.”

“Would you like to learn?”

“You’d teach me?” he asked incredulously, looking back up at her into her eyes.

“Of course.” She offered him a hand. “May I have this dance, Mister Marston?”

“Umm…” He stared down at it before looking back up at her questioningly.

“You’re supposed to take it, Jack, and lead me out on the dance floor. Well, in this case, _I_ should.”

“Oh.”

His hand hovered in the air before hers.

“You _do_ wanna dance with me, right?”

“I would if I knew how to, Madeline. Honest, I would, but…” His eyes drifted away to stare into the bonfire; a downcast frown set into his lips.

“Are you sure? I can teach you right now, ya know.”

“Maybe later…”

“When there’s no one around to watch, right?”

He averted her gaze as he took a drink.

“Alright, then, Jack.” Slowly, she sat back down beside him. Without looking over at him, she threw back her head and took a massive gulp of her beer, her hair cascading down her back.

“Sorry if I let you down,” he muttered, giving her an apologetic look as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

“It’s all right. I completely understand.”

An appreciative grin lifted his lips as he stared back at her. “Thank you.” He felt himself growing elated; an enormous thundercloud of emotion enveloped him. He was to the point of giddy intoxication, where his emotions ran as free and effortless as a colt at his prime. He lifted his right hand to her face and brushed a stray strand of hair out of her eyes. His fingers caressed her left cheek before settling around her face to cup it. A foolish, adoring smile appeared on his face as he looked into her eyes, his own half-opened and glazed over in happy inebriation.

She smiled back at him, shocked and flattered by his bold move. In response to his touch, she leaned in closer, her never looking away from his. Without her knowing, her lips parted slightly in anticipation for the kiss she thought she’d never receive from him until now.

Their faces were a hands-breadth away. His heart racing, his hand trembling, he inched closer and half-closed his eyes. Their noses brushed together, and their heavy breath basked each other in a warm, feverish ardor.

“Damn it, Maddie, if he ain’t gon dance witcha, then may I have this dance?”

The untimely interruption drew them out of their love-drunk moment; they jerked away from each other and looked up to see Eli standing before them, one hand held out to her in a chivalrous manner and a sly smirk on his face. Maddie smiled half-heartedly and chuckled her embarrassment away. She glanced over to Jack and smirked apologetically.

“Will all due respect, Mister Jones, I think I’ll sit this one out.”

“Now Miss Ross, ya ain’t gon’ get outta this. C’mon now.” He beckoned with his outstretched hand and beamed down at her.”

Maddie sighed and bowed her head. “Alright then, Eli. I’ll dance with you.” She took Eli’s hand and stood up. She looked back at Jack, disappointment obvious on her face and whispered, “I’m sorry!”

Jack merely shrugged off the whole situation, even though it was one of the most important but awkward moment of his life he’d never forget.

Eli looked down at Jack and gave him a knowing smile. He nodded to him, as if to say, “You’ll get your chance later,” before leading the beautiful woman over to the other side of the bonfire amidst the small crowd of dancers who swayed and two-stepped beside the fiddler playing a lively song.

Jack watched them go with a heavy sigh. _I was so damn close! Why does that bastard ALWAYS have to get in the way of my advances? The **nerve** of that slimy son of a bitch! _He frowned and looked down at the ground. He kicked a cloud of dirt and sand into the fire, frowning when it didn’t affect the blaze not one bit. _God, if only I could’ve had one more second..._

Vexed and embarrassed, he glared up at Eli, who was swing-dancing with Madeline and showing her off to the party. She was the very life of it all, the phoenix in the night, the spark to his heart-fire, and the soul of spirit within the group of dancers. As the fiddler sawed away on the strings, Maddie and Eli quickly became the center of attention. He displayed her with as much grace and ferocity. He handled her well, changing moves and turning her in all the appropriate times. Jack stared with open-mouthed fascination at the way her hair became a black blurry wave around her, how swan-like and natural she moved to the beat of the song and to Eli’s lead, how her skin glowed in the firelight and her hair illuminated by the moonlight, how her green dress swirled and flowed along with her rapid movements. Her eyes sparkled; her teeth flashed a dazzling smile.

Quite suddenly, the song changed into what sounded like an Irish jig. All eyes were drawn to Maddie as she began to dance. Everyone clapped along to the beat and hooted and hollered. She looked even more beautiful and full of life than ever before, and the brightest smile burst upon her face as she recalled from years past the traditions of her family. When the song was over, and Maddie had slowed to a stand-still, heavy applause erupted. Jack clapped along with the ranch hands as she sat down beside him and tried to catch her breath. Pausing from her panting, she took up her beer and took several mighty draughts from it. She set her beer down and draped her hair off to the left side of her neck to cool off.

“I didn’t know you could dance like that!” Jack said.

“And I didn’t know I could still do it,” she chuckled back. “Mama taught me how to dance years ago. I guess I never forgot.” She shook her head, bewildered as she panted. “It’s the Irish blood, let me tell ya.”

“I’ll say. I’ve never seen anything like it. You’re a wonderful dancer, Miss Maddie. You had everyone watchin’ you, ya know.”

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye as she finished her beer and belched like a champion. She laughed when she noticed Jack’s appalled but impressed expression. “What? I’m Irish, ‘n’ I’m feckin’ proud of it!” She winked playfully as she slipped into the accent of her ancestry. She slipped back out of it as she added, “And you? Are you Irish?”

He shook his head and took a drink. “No, Scottish.”

“So that’s why you can keep up with me!”

For the next hour, the party continued with song and dance. Maddie led several Irish drinking songs, including _The Rocky Road to Dublin_ and _Wild Rover_. Over and over again, she was drug out to dance by many of the ranch hands, and each time, Jack felt embarrassed, ashamed, and enraged. When she sat back down beside him, he’d wrap his arm possessively around her.

Eventually, as the night wore on and the air began to nip at the flesh of everyone enjoying themselves, the party had begun to dwindle down. Yawns and tired sighs resounded all around the bonfire. At last, the ranch hands waved Maddie up to her feet.

“C’mon, Maddie, one more song before we all retire!”

“Yes, one more song!”

She beamed all around the large circle of ranch hands. “Which one, lads?” she asked, even though she knew the answer.

“ _The Parting Glass!”_ they chorused, raising up their drinks to her.

With a gleeful smile, she stood up and looked at each and every one of the men, her eyes eventually coming to rest on Jack and staying there for quite some time.

Jack’s heart fluttered as he stared back at her, and he couldn’t help but reach up and take her hand in his and squeeze it encouragingly. “Go on, Maddie. I think we all wanna hear this one.”

“Of course, Jack,” she agreed, her eyes softening. She squeezed back before releasing his hand and tucking her hair back behind her ear. She looked back up to all who watched her, and with a voice that made the men nearly swoon, she began to sing a cappella:

 

“Of all the money that e’er I’ve spent,

I spent it in good company.

And all the harm that e’er I’ve done,

Alas, it was to none but me.

And all I’ve done for want of wit,

To mem’ry now I can’t recall.

So fill to me the parting glass,

Good night and joy be with you all.

 

Of all the comrades that e’er I’ve had,

Are sorry for my going away.

And all the sweethearts that e’er I’ve had,

Would wish me one more day to stay.

But since it falls unto my lot,

That I should rise and you should not.

I’ll gently rise and softly call,

Good night and joy be with you all.

Good night and joy be with you all.”

 

When she ended the song, the ranch hands dispersed to their small cabins to retire for the night. Some stumbled, others shuffled, and a fair few found it difficult to stay on their feet without the assistance of their comrades. The food was devoured, the alcohol drunk, and the musical instruments put away. Soon, the diminishing bonfire was left to none but the fire itself, and the upturned ground all around it was the only sign of a night well-spent.

Jack had nearly reached the doorstep of his father’s shed when he heard her address him from behind.

“Jack, wait!”

Stumbling slightly, he turned and smiled as she caught up to him.

“You mind if I talk to you a while longer?”

“Um…sure.” He chuckled as he added, “I’m a little drunk, though.”

She offered him her hand and beamed up at him. “No matter. Come, walk with me. I don’t want this night to end just yet.”

“I’d be delighted, Madeline,” he said as he took her hand and interlaced his fingers with hers.

They walked down the road that cut through the ranch. No direction was required so long as they were together, and they acknowledged that fact as they strolled past the horse corral and stable and the cow pen. The night was quiet, save for the crickets and the occasional owl hooting; their night music was like a love song to the pair as they walked. The full moon white-washed the world; the stars overhead winked down at them. All was as it should be, it seemed, and there was no need for speech.

The silence was ended as they came to a stop underneath a tree that flanked the side of the ranch house. They had navigated their way hand in hand down and up the dry stream bed, neglecting to use the bridge that was ten feet away, and the two managed to help each other out in the process. It was Maddie who stopped their stroll; she halted abruptly and affectionately squeezed Jack’s hand, pulling him to a gentle stop. Confused, he looked back and stared into her eyes that were alit with a sudden fierce bravery. His heart fluttering, he turned and faced her fully, still holding her hand.

“Maddie? Wha—?”

He understood when she stepped closer to him and pressed her body hungrily against his. He gasped and felt his eyes widen as her arms wound themselves around his neck. He felt his blood pump powerfully through his veins; his body flushed with sudden desire and wonder at her. His arms shook as he wrapped them around her waist.

Her eyes searched his, and when she noticed the affection she sought, she drew her face closer to his, their noses touching. She looked into his eyes once more. Her confidence building, she pulled his head closer.

At her bold move, Jack inhaled sharply, his heart hammering in his chest.

She froze, momentarily taken aback by his sensual response. She pulled her head back an inch, but when he held her closer and looked at her with half-closed eyes, begging her to continue, she was once again confident and returned the gaze as she reached up, standing on her tip-toes, and closed her eyes.

Gingerly, her lips brushed against his. It was a subtle touch, a caress of hesitant passion. Time came to a jarring stand-still, and their heavy breathing and pounding hearts were the only thing they could hear in that instant. Jack sighed, closed his eyes, and pulled her closer to him as he kissed her back. They briefly pulled away for the smallest of seconds to look into each other’s eyes with wonder…before they kissed again, this time more confidently. He felt himself getting lost in the moment; he held her close as he let himself go at last.

However, it was in that moment, when his desires had come true and he felt the purest form of ecstasy, that he inexplicably froze. It was internal at first, a seizing of his fluttering heart and a cold wash of terror. Much to his chagrin, he began to quiver with fear. Thoughts of the day he discovered she was the niece of the man he’d murdered flooded his mind. His breath caught in his throat as an overpowering flow of guilt pumped through his body. He took a step back from her and loosened his embrace around her waist.

 _I don’t deserve this_ … _I don’t deserve her._

Maddie stepped closer and pulled his head back to her. Consumed in the moment, she grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him urgently.

It was too much for him. He pulled away and tucked his chin into his collarbone. “Maddie, please,” he murmured.

She stopped, confused and still holding his face in her hands. Puzzlement engulfed her beautiful features. She looked into his eyes, a troubled frown forming quickly across her lips.

He gingerly took her hands in his and removed them from his face. He bit down on his lower lip as he did so, not knowing what to say but ultimately realizing that no matter what he would say, it would be no sufficient explanation for interrupting the one thing he’d wanted for so long. Tears blurred his vision. An inescapable lump resided in his throat.

She tried to pry her hands from his to return them to his face, but he held them steadfast as he looked up into her eyes.

“Jack, what’s wrong?”

“I…I can’t.”

“Why not?”

He released her hands and stood before her with his shoulders sagging and his arms hanging at his sides. “Madeline, I’m so sorry, but I—”

“But what?” Hurt and offended, she took a step back and looked up into his eyes. “Why did you just… _stop?”_

He took a step toward her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

She shrugged his hands off, took another step back, and gestured to him with a sharp wave of her hand. “I _finally_ show you how I feel, and _this_ is how you repay me?”

He froze in place, taken aback. “What? No! It’s not like that! Maddie, please. I wasn’t trying to…I didn’t mean…I just…” He stammered to a halt, unable to form the right words for her. He gestured pitifully, looked her in the eyes, and sighed. “Maddie, I’m sorry. Really, I am. I just…can’t tell you why.” He tucked his chin down and sighed heavily through his nose. He blinked away the tears that threatened to spill down his cheeks.

Her jaw dropped open in appalled disbelief. “ _You can’t tell me why?_ What type of explanation is that?”

“A terrible one,” he confessed, looking up at her through his tear-dewed eyelashes.

With an angry glare, she turned around on her heel.

Jack reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her in mid-stride. “Maddie, please don’t! It’s not easy for me, either, but please believe me when I tell you that it’s _not your fault_. You didn’t do anything wrong. I…It’s just that…”

She whirled back around, her hair and dress fanning out furiously and her eyes ablaze with betrayal. “Forget it, Jack. To hell with you! I knew it was a mistake showin’ you my feelings.” She shook her head, staring into his eyes with utter contempt. She ripped her arm out of his grasp with a powerful yank, turned, and started storming off.

“Please, Maddie!” he pleaded, stepping forward. His heart leapt into his throat, but he swallowed it back down and blurted out, “ _It’s not a mistake!_ Trust me, I _really_ appreciate what you just did, but…I just can’t give it back to you. I wish I could, and believe me, I really, _really_ want to…but…”

“BUT WHAT, JACK?!” she demanded, turning around and charging back up to him. She shoved his chest with both hands, making him stumble back. “What?! Is it too much for you to show me affection back? Do you find me too much of a tomboy? Do I _disgust_ you? I show you how I feel, and you just push me away and give me no reason for it! _What the hell could I have possibly done to you that makes you not want me?_ ”

He bowed his head and bit down on his lip.

“TELL ME!”

“I wish I could…but I can’t.”

“That’s _bullshit_ , Jack!” She jammed her right index finger into his chest and demanded, “Tell me what’s stopping you _right now!”_

“If I did, it would ruin what we have,” he whispered as he looked back at her.

 _“‘What we have’?!_ ” she exclaimed incredulously. _“_ As far as I’m concerned, we certainly don’t have anything _now_...” She took a step back, her eyes searing into his.

His eyes widened. “What are you sayin’?”

She tucked her chin into her collarbone. Her voice was soft and choked back as she replied darkly, “I’m sayin’ this has all been a waste of time…” Tears welled in her eyes.

Her icy words stabbed him to the core, taking the air out of his lungs. He attempted to breathe but couldn’t do so properly. His heart clenching painfully in his chest, he stammered, “M-Madeline, please don’t…please don’t do this. I’m begging you. Anything but this…” Desperate, he reached out to her, hoping to take her hand, but she recoiled harshly.

“Then tell me why you stopped and I won’t go!”

His hands fell to his sides. “I…There’s just…You know, it’s…Maddie, if only I could…” He gestured hopelessly. With a defeated sigh, he began, “Alright…God, how do I say this?” He paused to figure out how to word his confession. He stared out at the darkness off to the side. “Maddie, I don’t know how to say this to you.”

“Go on, say it,” she commanded. She spread her arms out before her. “I’m right here waitin’. Just get to it, Jack.”

“I’m tryin’ here, Maddie. Honest to God, I am, but…this is harder than I thought it would be.” He sighed and ran his hands over his face. “I was hopin’ it would never come to this, but I guess now it has, and…Jesus, I—”

“Say it!”

“Alright, alright, just…just gimme a minute.” Again, he ran a hand over his face and stared off into the night, ashamed of what he was about to tell her. “You…you remember the day we were in the cemetery in Blackwater, and your pa came and told you your uncle was dead? Remember how he said there was one suspect, and then when you two were talkin’, I just took off? Well…” He paused to swallow down the lump in his throat. He gave a shaky sigh and sniffed. “I lied to you, Maddie. All this time, you were lookin’ for your uncle’s killer, and I’ve kept you in the dark this whole time. I vowed to myself that I’d never tell you, and for a while it looked like things would just go as I planned and this would all just disappear in time, but…I guess not all secrets die away and are lost to the world. And now…” He shook his head and scoffed, disgraced and not knowing what else to say.

Maddie stumbled back a step, her jaw dropping. “What…what are you sayin’, Jack?”

“I’m sayin’ the man you’ve been lookin’ for…is…” Jack looked up into her eyes. “He’s standin’ in front of you, Maddie.”

She gasped in horror and outrage. Her mouth dropped open, and she shook her head vigorously, not wanting to accept the truth.

He took a step forward and reached out for her with both hands, stammering over his words as he hastily added, “I’m so sorry, Maddie. Had I known he was your uncle back then, I would’ve _never_ … Maddie, I’m _so sorry_. If there was a way, I’d—”

Her right fist slammed the left side of his face. Jack stumbled back a few steps and stood clutching his cheek with his left hand and staring at her in shock.

The most loathing, disgusted, and hateful countenance seized her face as she glared at him, her right arm still crossed in front of her after following through the punch. Tears streamed down her face as she straightened up from her bent stance. She brought her arm back to her side as she stood before him and shook her head. In a quaking, bitter whisper, she said, “I _knew_ it. I should’ve seen it right from the start. I guess my naivety…my _feelings_ … kept me blind from the truth.” She shook her head, her dark tresses waving from the movement. “You’re no better than any other man I’ve come to know, that’s for certain. _All men lie.”_

Her hateful scowl morphed quickly into pain and grief as she looked him over once more with another shake of her head. Tears trickled down her face as she turned and fled into the darkness, leaving him standing alone under the tree beside the house.

 

*             *             *

 

 He hadn’t slept at all after he stumbled back to his father’s shed. He shuffled numbly into the building, nearly falling over when he tripped over the threshold. His hand reached out to steady himself; it had found the back of a chair as he stumbled to a stop inside. Before he knew it, the chair sailed across the room and broke against the opposite wall. He kicked at his bed and the many crates stacked to the side; he punched holes in the walls and shouted incoherently. By the time his body and emotions were spent and the room was a battered cluster, he sat down heavily on his bed, buried his face in his bloody hands, and wept. After all this time, he finally had had a chance to have her, to show her how he truly felt, only to ruin it completely.

The crow of a rooster snapped him momentarily out of his depression; he hadn’t moved from his sitting position for several hours, so when he jumped at the noise, his stiff body yelped in protest from the sudden jerk. As other roosters joined in for the sun to rise, Jack realized it was the start of the worst day of his life. He would’ve endured the death of his parents many times over than take what he had confessed hours ago. He wiped the tears from his face with the back of his hands, not realizing his knuckles were covered with blood. His legs and back creaked and popped as he stood up. He groaned with discomfort, but it was nothing compared to the pain he felt bleeding in his heart, poisoning his body with the excruciation of his confession.

In a haze, he changed into his ranch clothes and walked out to face the day; he didn’t hear the cheery good mornings from his fellow co-workers; he didn’t feel the warm rays of the sun as it began to climb up into the sky; he didn’t see the beautiful splashes of pinks, oranges, and reds across the horizon. He shuffled to the barn to start his chores.

He tiredly lifted his gaze to the double barn doors at the sound of a heated argument commencing. Not exactly caring but curious enough, he gazed further in the building. He stopped abruptly when he saw Bonnie speaking earnestly to Maddie as she saddled Gypsy in the barn. Maddie had abandoned her beautiful green dress and donned her bounty hunting attire with a vengeance, complete with her satchel, semi-automatic pistols, a full bandolier, and her Henry repeater and Carcano rifle. She had pulled her long hair back into a braid that fell down her back, although angry wisps of her bangs fell out of place and framed her face wonderfully in an untamable way; she looked fierce and beautiful, as she had always looked to him. A small band of ranch hands stood around them, their eyes fixed on the furious, determined young woman who saddled her black mount. Jack stumbled up to the open doors just as the argument was starting to become a shouting match.

“For the last time, Madeline, I am _ordering_ you to _STAY HERE!_ ” Bonnie shouted, pointing fiercely down at the ground beneath them with a finger. “You’re _insane_ going out on your own like this! You’re outnumbered by the nastiest outlaws we’ve heard of in a long time! What you’re doin’ is dangerous and foolish!” She grabbed her friend’s arm and turned her around so they faced each other. “ _Do you hear me?! You’re riding to your DEATH!_ ”

“Get your damn hands off me, Bonnie!” she responded harshly, yanking her arm out of the older woman’s grasp. She glared venomously into her blue eyes and reasoned viciously, “I’ve taken on worse scumbags than this, and I’ve come back without a scratch. Don’t underestimate my abilities. I’m going whether you like it or not, and I’m baggin’ that bastard and bringin’ him in alive. Your ranch could use the thousand bucks, as far as I’m concerned.”

“My ranch has been doin’ _just fine_ , Maddie! I don’t need you ridin’ out there recklessly toward what could easily be your doom! Jackson Randall’s killed over _thirty people_ , Madeline! He’s robbed Armadillo’s bank, too, and is known for rapin’ and killin’ women! Plus he’s got a gang of loyal men behind him, and by the police report you’ve read and _stupidly_ left on my coffee table this morning, it says he’s got _at least_ twenty men ready to follow his lead without question. I’m beggin’ you, DO NOT DO THIS!”

All around them, the men added in their own reasoning, the words becoming a jumbled cacophony of foolish pursuit to Maddie’s ears as she glared at them all. With a voice that boomed throughout the barn, she roared, “ _ENOUGH_ , ALL OF YOU! I will do what I fuckin’ please, and I can sure as shit take care of myself! I’m goin’ and that’s that, and there’s nothing any of you can say that’ll change it!”

“What if I told you not to go?”

The scuffling of feet sounded as all eyes turned to Jack at the barn entrance. Maddie met gazes with him; her features instantly grew cold. The look she gave him made him shudder internally.

“What business is it of _yours_ if I go?”

“It is my business, just as much as it is Bonnie’s.”

“And who the fuck are _you_ to tell me what I can or can’t do?” she barked back in response as she finished with the back cinch and threw on her saddlebags. She tied them angrily to the saddle, her fingers working meticulously. Her hand jerked viciously back on the tether as she added, “Why the fuck do YOU care, of all people?”

 _Because I love you_ , he felt like saying. Instead, he bowed his head and bit down on his lip, knowing there was nothing he could say to sway her decision.

“Maddie, please, I’m _beggin’_ you,” Bonnie continued. “We all need you here at the ranch. Don’t go gettin’ yourself killed over a triflin’ matter such as this.”

“I know what I’m doin’, Bonnie. I’ve been bringin’ in bounties since I was seventeen. This isn’t the first time I’ve gone out and done this by myself.”

“But you’re in over your head here!”

“NO, I’M _NOT_ , BONNIE! SHUT UP AND LEAVE ME BE! I’M DOING THIS FOR YOUR RANCH, SO GET OUT OF MY WAY!”

Her words boomed throughout the barn, making every human and animal flinch at the veracity of her voice. Not another word was spoken as she jammed her left boot into the stirrup, grabbed the saddle horn and cantle, and swiftly mounted her black beauty. She gathered the reins eagerly, giving everyone a venomous glare to silence them of any more protests, before she nudged her horse’s sides. Gypsy walked hastily forward. As she rode up to Jack, Maddie glared at him when he didn’t move out of the way. She pulled her horse to a stop before him.

“Get the hell out of my way, asshole.”

“No.”

“Then I’ll run you over.”

Jack side-stepped out of the way just as she spurred Gypsy. His hand shot out as the mare bolted forward, and he grabbed the reins and pulled her horse to a sudden stand-still.

“Let go of my horse, boy, or I’ll shoot you down like the bastard you are!”

“Madeline,” he began affectionately, looking deep into her eyes, “don’t go. You’re not in the right mind, and you know you’re ridin’ to certain failure. At least let me go with you, just so you’ve got an extra gun. We’ve brought in bounties before, so why not go do it again…together?”

Her eyes narrowed to slits of rage. “ _Fuck_ no, Marston. The day I let you ride with me again is the day I hang my hat up and kid my place and my true self, and only when hell freezes over will that happen! You think after what you’ve done you can just tag along with me and expect me to not give a shit? **NO!** SO _LET GO_ OF MY HORSE AND GET THE _FUCK_ OUT OF MY WAY!”

Her words struck him like explosive bullet-tips, and he gasped at her vicious retaliation as he stumbled back and let his hand drop away from the reins. His jaw dropping, he watched her as she spurred Gypsy with excessive force, making the mare grunt with surprise and leap forward into a gallop down the road. Maddie whipped her with the ends of the reins, urging her on into a blinding sprint, making her flaxen mane and tail become a white blur and causing an angry cloud of trail dust to billow behind her. In an instant, horse and rider were gone. Jack stared after them, his mouth agape.

As the crowd of ranch hands dispersed in quiet disapproval and the cloud of dust from Gypsy’s hooves settled back to the earth, Bonnie turned to him with a demanding glare. “What did you do?!”

He bowed his head and pinched the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb. “It’s not just what I did, Bonnie, it’s what I _didn’t_ do.”

She gasped as she looked him over for the first time that morning. “What in God’s name happened to you, Jack?! Your hands are bleedin’ and you have a bruise on your face! What happened to you after the party?”

He threw up his hands in frustration and looked her in the eyes. “She kissed me, alright? She kissed me, and I kissed her back at first, but then I couldn’t do it.”

She blinked incredulously. “ _What?_ Why? You two _love_ each other.”

“I know, Bonnie, but I couldn’t kiss her back! I told her I killed her uncle. I _had_ to tell her, Bonnie. but how do I tell the woman I love I killed her uncle in cold blood and expect her to not hate me for the rest of her life? What I’ve done is something I’ll _never_ be able to be redeemed for! I may be a pardoned man, but that doesn’t mean anything now…not after what I’ve told her.” He shook his head and looked off to the side, letting his past catch up to him with hellacious repercussions. “Back then, I thought what I doin’ was right. I avenged my father, only to hurt the one person I’ve come to care for most in this world!”

Bonnie shook her head sorrowfully, struck speechless in the moment. She stared hopelessly after Gypsy’s dust trail, her lips pursed in thought. Her shoulders sagged as she sighed heavily. “Your father was right, Jack. ‘People don’t forget. Nothing gets forgiven’.”

Jack scoffed angrily. “That ain’t no shit. And now look… _Look at what I’ve done!_ ” He sighed and buried his face in his hands, overcome with grief.

She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “You didn’t know back then. You _couldn’t_ have known he was her uncle. You didn’t even know she existed until after she and I bailed you outta jail.”

“Yeah, well…Look at where I’m at now.” He ran his hands over his face before letting them drop heavily to his sides. Not caring that Bonnie was watching him, he wiped his eyes with his sleeve. “I fucked up, Bonnie. I’ve ruined _everything_.”

She sighed heavily and bowed her head. “Well…I’m not gonna sugar-coat it for ya, honey, but you’re right. Tellin’ her the truth definitely tore you two apart, but you gave her the answer she’s been lookin’ for all this time. She needed to hear the truth, and you unfortunately had to be the bearer of bad news.”

He nodded somberly. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

Unexpectedly, she embraced him. He half-heartedly returned it, and when she released him, she gave him a warm grin and cupped the side of his face with a hand. “You’re a good man, Jack, no matter what you’ve done in the past. You’ve become someone so much greater than the angry boy you used to be. No matter what happens with you and Maddie, just keep that in mind.”

“I’m not a good man, Bonnie, not for the things I’ve done and _especially_ now that Madeline hates me. I’m _never_ gonna be the man I should be, not like how my pa wanted, or the man that Maddie deserves.”

“But you ARE enough for her. She may not see it when she gets back, and she may deny it for a while, but she’ll come to realize you two are meant to be.”

Despite his misery, he allowed a slight grin to grace his lips. “Thanks, Bonnie.”

She grinned back before stepping away from him and heading over to the general store to start the day’s labor. He watched her go with a long, sorrowful sigh, still in shock over the horrifying events of the past twenty-four hours. He shook his head and ran a hand over his face once again, sniffling and breathing heavily. He took a moment to collect himself before he turned and headed to the barn to tend to his chores.

It wasn’t long until a certain familiar man joined him; as the black man pulled up a stool across from him beside a plump milking cow, Jack managed to acknowledge the man’s presence with a slight nod.

“So where’s ya gal headin’ off to?” Eli Jones asked as his hands grabbed the cow’s udders and began pulling in a rhythm.

Jack sighed. “She’s gone…”

“Gone? What fo’?”

“After a bounty.”

The black man shook his head. “She’s usually not this foolish when it comes ta bringin’ in bounties. She sho isn’t in tha right mind fo’ this one, lemme tell ya, Jack.”

“I know. I’m…I’m worried about her.”

“Me too, boy. We _all’s_ worried ‘bout her.”

Half an hour passed before either of them spoke up again. They had gone through most of the cows, and Eli began mucking out the stalls. He was surprised when the young man stopped him in his work with a nudge of his elbow. Confused, he straightened up from his bent position, bringing up the pitch fork along with him and resting the handle against his chest as he looked at Jack. He cocked an eyebrow as he looked down at the ten dollar bill the young man held out to him.

“Mistuh?”

Jack grinned sadly. “For that bet we started way back, remember?”

Eli studied the bill with an unreadable expression for the longest moment. At last, he looked up at Jack and shook his head. “Keep it, boy. Ya don’t need ta be wastin’ ya money over a dumb lil’ bet like that.”

“But I owe you, Eli.”

The black man chuckled and patted him on the shoulder with a large, callused hand. “We both know ya don’t need ta be givin’ me this. I know ya love her. _Ev’rybody_ here knows it.” He took up his pitchfork and continued working.

Jack slowly returned the bill to his pocket, a weak smile playing on his lips. “Yeah…” His smile brightened. “I love her.”

“Ya should tell ‘er that when she gets back, boy. She gots ta hear it from ya, ya know.”

He nodded. “I know.”

“Then tell ‘er, boy. And mean it, too, wit all ya hawt.”

“I will. Don’t you worry ‘bout that. But, uh… Eli?”

“Yessuh?”

“You’re gonna have to do the rest of my chores for me this morning.”

Eli stopped in his work and stared blankly at him. “What fo’?”

Jack set his pitchfork against the stable wall. “I’m goin’ after her. I’ve got a bad feeling about this. I need to go. Now.”

The Negro smiled brightly at him and nodded with exuberance. “Then God’s speed be wit ya, boy. Save ya lil’ lady, Mistuh Mawsten, ‘n’ bring her back safe ‘n’ sound.” He waved him away.

Jack nodded and beamed gratefully at the man. “Thank you, Eli. Be sure you let Bonnie know where I’m headed. If I don’t come back, have her send some men after me and Maddie.”

“Will do, son. Now git gone!”

Eli hadn’t even finished his sentence before Jack was sprinting over to the horse corral.


	29. Desecration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING! This chapter depicts a scene involving rape. Just giving you dear readers a heads-up.

**Chapter Track** : “The Gravel Road” – James Newton Howard, _The Village_ soundtrack

 

The thunderous hoof beats were all that Maddie heard as her horse barreled down the road across Hennigan’s Stead. The wind ripped at her face, hair, and clothes, as if trying to pull her back to the safety of the ranch. She furiously refused to go back, not while he was still there. _Not after what he’s done_ , she thought. Her mind was in an endless circle of turmoil; she couldn’t even think in complete sentences, much less comprehend the gravity of the truth she had been so blind to. The world was nothing but a blur as her rocky mountain mare galloped across the land.

 _He lied to my face all these months… He LIED to me!_ She bit down on her lip so hard she swore she tasted blood. Her face contorted into a hateful grimace as she rode on. She didn’t pay attention to the path before her or the travelers she passed. She wriggled in the saddle, livid. Her hand itched to grab her pistol from its holster and start shooting. _Why did I not see this?! Why did I fall for him?! I KNEW I should’ve never let myself trust that man. I swore to myself I’d never fall prey to a man, much less be treated like my mother was, and yet here I am betrayed and heartbroken!_

Gypsy began to slow into a tired lope as she made her way through the dark and dreary swamplands of Thieves Landing. People dove out of the way in the criminal-infested town; Maddie didn’t care as she kicked her horse back up to speed.

“HYAH! LET’S _GO!_ ” The mare obeyed, out of pure adrenaline and anxiety over her rider’s insatiable rage. The black beauty ascended the trail leading up to the Great Plains. Maddie reined her toward Tall Trees and kicked her hard, not giving her mount a chance to slow as she changed direction and followed the path that would lead her to Bearclaw Camp.

 _When I’m done with this Jackson Randall fellow, I’ll deal with Jack_ , she thought, _just not now, not after what he’s done_. She gripped the reins tighter and her scowl deepened. _I just need to…shoot SOMETHING! I need to get away from all this, from everything he’s ever said to me, from everything he’s ever done and lied about._

Gypsy galloped down the road, heaving herself forward and panting loudly. Her sides had become slick with sweat and her gait, usually smooth and effortless, was now bumpy and lethargic. As Bearclaw Camp came into Maddie’s view three hundred yards ahead, she abruptly turned her exhausted mount off the road and urged her up the steep incline. Her horse’s hooves slipped often on the rock, but Maddie kicked the mare onward and upward. At last, as they topped the rise, she loped her horse forward, just barely in sight of the camp. Maddie looked over and down at her quarry, and already she could see the gang hideout was teeming with criminals. She did a quick headcount and grew increasingly worried when she counted twenty-five.

 _No matter_ , she reasoned, giving herself a reassuring nod of self-confidence. She urged her horse up another rise in the land east of the camp. When she was far enough away, far from the sight of whom she was about to kill down below, she stopped her horse and dismounted twenty yards away from the edge. Sweat dripped off her rocky mountain mare; Gypsy held her head low and her tail hung motionless as she stood panting, her legs quivering slightly. Maddie looked her horse over and felt a pang of guilt; she hadn’t realized how hard she’d pushed her, and now she felt incredibly sorry for her best friend. She gave the mare a reassuring pat on the neck and grimaced at the white foam that covered her coat.

“I am sorry, hon,” she whispered.

The mare was too tired to care for her apology as she stood trying to catch her breath and rest.

“When this is all over, I’ll give you a proper rest,” she vowed as she reached over her shoulder and unslung her Carcano rifle. She drew back the bolt, her hands shaking from the adrenaline and the anger that refused to leave. She crouched as she approached the edge of the rise, the gun held at the ready. Her pride beckoned her to carry out the hunt, but her instinct told her something was wrong.

She shook her head and bit down on her lip as she laid down on her stomach and pressed the butt of the rifle to her right shoulder. _No_ , she thought. _None of that now. Don’t you_ dare _start havin’ doubts. You can do this. You’ve done this far too many times to recall: it’s just another bounty hunt. You can do this. You can do this without him._

Her hands quivered as she looked through the scope and surveyed the camp below. She was surprised at how unsteady her hands were, but on the other hand, she hadn’t slept hardly at all after his confession. She had hastily dug through her stack of bounties and found the most rewarding one; she’d skimmed half-mindedly through the file before donning her usual attire. She would’ve succeeded in sneaking off unnoticed were it not for Bonnie’s keen eye and insight. Her friend _knew_ something was wrong when she caught her saddling her horse at dawn.

 _It’s HIS fault I’m this way_ , she reasoned. Her grip on the rifle tightened. _It’s HIS fault I went off like that_. Without thinking, she set her sights on the first man she saw and moved her index finger through the trigger guard.

_The minute I get back, Jack is dead._

She pulled the trigger.

A deafening boom cracked through the silence of Tall Trees. The man below cried out and fell dead in his tracks, making the others around him flinch and draw their guns. Everything was then set in motion; panic spread across the camp as men whipped their heads about looking for the person responsible.

Maddie reloaded and fired, reloaded and fired. Her aim was deadly, her focus clear-cut, and her warmongering rage was molded to her benefit as she sought revenge on those who weren’t at fault. All the promises and compromises she’d made with Jack during their bounty hunts together were instantly forgotten; her brutality returned in full force, gleefully unleashed and washing over her like a much-needed bath long overdue. She took down man after man, enjoying the sound of their screams and the sight of blood as it spurted out of their bodies. She cackled at their panicked looks and the way they scurried off for cover behind the many dilapidated cabins. She laughed maniacally when their puny pistols and revolvers fired at her but never met their aim. She felt blindly invincible and glorious in that moment.

Before she knew it, they were rushing her.

Despite the fact she fell ten men, more rushed out from behind and within the cabins. Now that they’d pinpointed her location, they all fired up at her collectively, using a storm of bullets to stop her from killing again as they scurried up the side of the hill towards her. Maddie slung her Carcano back over her shoulder and switched to her Henry repeater. As they grew closer, she snuck a peak at her horse, who’d spooked and had galloped away the second gunshots fired. She wouldn’t make it to her horse in time to escape, so she turned and ran, her gun in her hands.

Using the trees as cover, she paused every ten feet and fired at the oncoming army of men. Five times she did this, and while she was successful, on the sixth attempt, a bullet tore through her left calf. Another ripped through her right bicep. She screamed and fell to her hands and knees.

They were upon her before she could rise to her feet. Maddie wasn’t much of a match for the three men who forced her up to her feet and drug her back down to the camp. The rest of the gang stood waiting for her, all of them various shades of disgusting and cruel men who looked upon her like she was no more than a scrap of meat for them to defile and consume. Maddie fought the whole way down, but still her captors drug her on, until they came to the center of the clearing before the cabins. The gang around her and her captors formed a circle and began to close around them as they neared the man who ran it all.

Her jaw dropped at the sight of the man who stood before her with his arms crossed and a rather uninviting scowl upon his face. Despite her previous bravery, the sight of such a behemoth of a criminal made her knees grow weak. She stumbled to a halt before the man as he came swaggering up to her.

“Madeline Ross,” he murmured in a deep, scratchy baritone. Jackson Randall stood well over six feet tall, looking more like a bear than a man, with his massive bulk, protruding body hair, and broad shoulders. His attire was various shades of brown and black: he wore a dark-brown duster that made Maddie think of the fur on a grizzly, as well as a black Stetson hat, a chocolate-colored shirt and vest, and brown leather chaps over his pants. His spurs tinked an ominous rhythm as he came to stand before her. He looked and smelt like he hadn’t bathed in weeks.

He looked her over with a hungry expression in his large, coal-black eyes and shook his head in wonder, his long unkempt hair, beard, and mustache waving from the movement. “My, my, look at you, little miss! So many stories revolve around such a _beautiful_ girl. Your reputation does indeed proceed you: not a single man I’ve spoken to hasn’t heard or seen of your beauty.” His eyes slowly looked her down and back up again. His expression hardened. “And you sure as hell are a Ross: just like your uncle Edgar, you have a knack for bringin’ in a lot of my close friends. I must say I’m rather surprised and disappointed in seein’ you here all by your lonesome, ‘specially without your grungy suitor to help you out. Kinda stupid, don’t you think, Miss Ross? I would’ve thought you’d be smarter than that.” He lifted a bear-like claw of a hand and caressed the side of her face with the back of it as he smiled lasciviously at her. ”You’re outnumbered, little girl, and now you’re gonna pay for your ignorance.”

She shied away from his horrid touch, only to lunge forward and spit in his face. “Just try it and see what happens! I’ll have you know you’re not the first dirty fuck I’ve dealt with, and you _certainly_ won’t be the last!”

He backhanded her across the face before grabbing her jaw with one hand, forcing her to look into his dark eyes. “That’s where you’re wrong, sweetheart. See, when I’m done with you, you’ll be the sorest bitch in all the land. No one will find your body, and all that will be left of you on this earth is the stories that people will tell in your memory, of how you were fucked senseless and killed by the very man you tried to arrest.” He roughly let her face go and wiped the spit off his face. He nodded to the men who held her at bay and commanded, “Throw her down.”

Maddie shook and jerked about as her captors forced her down to the ground. She screamed with outrage, thrashing her body about as she fought the hardest battle she’d ever come to face. She would’ve taken a duel in the rain or a shoot-out in the dark than face the horror she was about to endure. She grew blind with hatred and fear as Randall stood over her unbuckling his belt. All around her, Randall’s men laughed.

Suddenly, Jackson was on top of her, one massive hands gripping her wrists and keeping her pinned to the ground while the other reached down and unbuckled her belt. His fingers clawed at the front of her pants, ripping them and her undergarments down to her knees and exposing her groin. Maddie bellowed with a mixture of insatiable rage and terror as she brought up her legs and pushed him up and off her long enough for her to rip her right hand out from under his left. She punched Jackson in the face as hard as she could and kicked him in the groin; he fell backwards off her with a wail of agony, and two of his men stepped up to restrain her once again.

“NO!” she roared as she rose to her knees. Knowing she didn’t have enough time to pull her pants back up and defend herself at the same time, she reached down her left leg for the hilt of her hunting knife. She unsheathed it and brought it up with a wild swing and a fearsome war-cry. Her knife slashed open the nearest man, slicing open his gut and causing him to howl in excruciation and bleed profusely. He stumbled back a step and allowed the other criminal to rush her, but Maddie brought the knife back around and slashed again, this time making a fatal mark as she cut open the man’s neck. Hot blood spurted out of his jugular vein, staining her clothes and face and the ground between them.

“Get the bitch! Beat the shit out of her!”

Randall’s orders bellowed loud and clear as he stumbled to his feet, and more men rushed forward to take the place of their fallen comrades. Maddie was just about to rise to her feet when she felt something cold and hard smash against the back of her head. She cried out and fell forward, catching herself from falling on her face by her hands and elbows, but then she was being pulled back up by her long braid. She screamed as someone pulled her up to her feet by just her hair, and before she could react with as much hostility, a man’s fist collided against the side of her face. It was a thunderous series of punches and slaps and kicks from there on; Maddie didn’t have time to react, much less think, as she was being slowly beaten to death. All she knew was pain for several long minutes that ticked on like hours.

“You think you’re better than us men? Think again, bitch!”

“Who gave you the right to hunt us down?! You think you’re somethin’ else, don’t you?!”

“Who do you think you are?!”

When at last Randall called his men off, she fell forward into a crumpled mess. Blood stained her swollen, bruised face, and she could barely see as the malevolent leader strode back up to her. Her body shouted at her to move, to fight back, to do _something_ , but she was completely spent and covered in bruises of varying degrees of severity. All around them, his men formed an arena and watched on like they would some sort of demented duel.

“Now, my little bitch… _Now_ is when I take you,” Randall growled with a sickening smile and punched her face so hard she fell onto her back. Before she could fight, he was on top of her again, and this time, he had her pinned down not only by the wrists, but by his massive body weight. He reached down between her legs and his and tugged her pants down to her ankles.

She screamed so loud her voice grew hoarse as a stabbing pain erupted between her legs and inside of her. The man’s pelvis thrust forward, bashing against hers, and he moaned as he penetrated her. Despite her concussion and the beating she’d received moments ago, there was no other pain than what she felt now that she could ever remember being so violent and unbearable. Hot tears trickled down the sides of her face and soaked the grass as he began to have his way with her. All around her, laughter stabbed and molested the crisp air of Tall Trees. The wind began to howl, and it blew through the foliage all around them and stirred the trees above, whipping their branches about; Mother Nature shrieked for wrath in unison with her as she sobbed and screamed in agony, shame, and anger.

Like a thunderclap, the boom of a powerful gunshot split through the air.

Blood splattered as Jackson Randall was thrown off her by the force of the bullet; he crumpled to the ground beside her with half his face blown off. Maddie rolled over onto her side, dazed, covered with Jackson’s blood and carnage, and still in so much pain she barely could comprehend what just happened. She blinked as she looked into the man’s cold, dead eyes. Blood quickly seeped out of the eviscerated fragments of what was left of his skull; the red puddle was growing, creeping toward her, and she somehow found the strength to scoot away from the dead man.

Footfalls and gunshots sounded all around her, and combined with the incoherent cries of men, both of life-ending pain and surprise, it all became the symphony of death. Maddie struggled to rise to her elbows and knees, but she fell back onto her side when her head swam with pain and her vision became enshrouded by a black veil. The pain between her legs was unbearable; she looked down at herself and gasped as the streaks of blood across her inner thighs. Helpless and paralyzed by her excruciation, she lay on her side in the fetal position, only half-aware of the battle that was commencing around her.

“Kill him! Kill the bastard!”

“How many are there?! What the fuck’s goin’ on?!”

“I see him! There! There he is! Th—”

“Hey, you son of a bitch! Who do you think you—”

There were two last loud gunshots…and then, silence.

Hasty footfalls, faint at first but quickly becoming louder, approached her. Someone screamed her name, and before she knew it, someone was cradling her in their arms.

“Oh, dear God, MADELINE!”

The sunlight encased her rescuer in a silhouette. Maddie strained her eyes, and she gave a faint gasp as he came into focus. Jack was staring down at her with tears streaming down his face. He looked her over frantically, his mouth dropping open in horror.

“J-Jack?” she stuttered, her eyes fluttering. “You…you came for me…?”

“Oh, my God, are you…Did they…Oh, God, I’m so sorry, Madeline! Oh, God!”

His blood-and-dirt-stained face held clean streaks where his tears had trickled down his cheeks. He held her close to him, embracing her for a moment, before he gingerly pulled her pants back up.

The next instant, she was in his arms and being carried somewhere. All she saw was the pale blue sky and the canopy of the tall red oaks. The roar of a river flowing nearby reached her ears. A loud whistle sounded, and the whinny of a horse and two sets of galloping hooves approached. She felt herself being lifted on top of a saddle. Beneath her, the palomino stallion blew loudly. The sunlight caught in his pearl mane and momentarily held her spellbound.

“Hold on, Maddie,” Jack said as he mounted up behind her. His left arm wrapped itself around her waist and held her close to him. “We’ll be home safe soon.”

“J-Jack, wait…The bounty…He…We gotta…gotta get him.”

“He’s dead, Maddie, and everyone else with him. I shot them all down.” She felt him spur the horse forward. “Hyah!”

Before it all went dark, she saw the world around her become one incoherent blur of color. The wind howled in her ears as she flew across the land to sanctuary, wherever that was. She breathed in Jack’s musty, leathery scent, listened to his heavy breathing and the thunder beneath them, and felt the warm, strong embrace of her savior as he gripped her tightly.


	30. Honeybee

**Chapter Track** : “Honeybee” – Steam Powered Giraffe

 

The grey light of dawn barely filtered through the windows of the doctor’s cabin, before the sun’s rays even began to break apart the night’s dark-blue abyss. Outside, a rooster crowed, seizing the day before it even began. The rocking chair Jack had fallen asleep in creaked as he jerked awake. Panting from his start, he sat up in the chair and looked about the room; nothing had changed since he carried Maddie into the doctor’s office after he arrived at the MacFarlane’s ranch yesterday afternoon. He looked to his right, and, just as he had been since, found he was still sitting beside Maddie’s bedside. She was still asleep; she had lost consciousness before they even rode onto Bonnie’s property. Bonnie and the doctor set to work stitching up her gunshot wounds and tending to the multitude of bruises she’d received. Jack was there the entire time holding her hand and staring at her bleeding, beaten face.

The chair moaned as he stood up stiffly; his joints creaked and popped as he stretched in place, pulling his arms up over his head and flexing every muscle in his body. He groaned with discomfort from falling asleep in such an uncomfortable place, but he’d sworn to himself and everyone else he would never leave Maddie’s side until she was completely healed. Once his sore and enervated body felt as stretched out as it possibly could be, he relaxed and sat down on the edge of the bed beside Maddie’s knees. She lay on her back, her arms at her sides. He looked her over and winced at her swollen lips and the dark bruises around her eyes and cheekbones. Several cuts adorned her face. Jack could see the hand marks on her wrists where Jackson Randall held her firmly down while he had his way with her. A red-hot rage, thicker and more potent than he’d ever felt before in his life, reemerged as he thought back to what he saw when he came to her rescue. His hands clenched into shaking fists on his lap as he recalled seeing the criminal laying on top of her, his hips thrusting forward as he violated her mercilessly. He wished he would’ve kept the man alive, if only to kill him in the most painful way possible. Thoughts of torture and the most loathsome brutalities festered in his mind, polluting it with homicidal intentions he’d never be able to fulfill. _At least I killed that fucker_. _At least he’s dead, along with every single one of his goddamn men. They were all scum of the earth; I did a service to the world by slaughtering them all like the pigs they were._

Though the rage continued to pulse through him, Jack looked over Maddie once more and shook his head, feeling helpless as he watched her sleep. He knew time would heal all wounds, but he knew deep-down she’d never be the same, not after being deflowered and beaten so horribly. Gingerly, he leaned forward and brushed the side of her swollen, battered face with his fingertips and felt tears trickle down his face and absorb into the bed sheets.

“I’m so sorry, Madeline,” he whispered. “It’s all my fault.” He bowed his head and rested it on her stomach as he wept. He cursed to whatever sort of god there was above, mentally crying out why something so terrible could’ve happened to such a wonderful woman. But what he did the most was mourn for her loss, as well as his: he’d taken her uncle away from her, as well as her trust and love in him or any other man, and he was forever sorry for the desecration of both her body and her spirit.

When his tears had run dry and his emotions were spent, he stood and walked out of the back room, past the front counter, and outside into the dawn, squinting as the watercolor-painted sky hurt his eyes. Slowly, the ranch around him had begun to wake. Horses whickered and cattle lowed to be fed; roosters crowed and hens clucked as they went about scratching for food; the men and women of the ranch sipped their coffee and ate their breakfast before they dressed and began chores. Jack stood on the porch of the doctor’s office, feeling torn: on one hand, he wished to join the ranch hands, but on the other, he felt compelled to stay beside Maddie and make sure she was well. With a yawn, he turned and walked back inside.

Maddie was still peacefully asleep as he sat back down in the rocking chair. His back and rear screamed at him in protest as he settled back into such an uncomfortable seat, but he felt all the more determined to see Maddie through and be with her until she was fully recovered.

The next thing he knew, he was awoken by the sound of boots clacking across the wooden floor and the sound of water dripping into a wash basin. His eyes fluttered open.

Bonnie was standing beside a dresser making fresh bandages for Maddie’s gunshot wounds. She turned and gazed down at him with shock and pity. “Jack? Why aren’t you in bed, boy?”

Jack ran a hand over his face and stood up stiffly. “I’m not leavin’ her, Bonnie,” he murmured sluggishly. His hat sat cock-eyed atop his head.

Bonnie walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. She looked him sternly in the eyes and said, “Jack, go clean up and rest. You need just as much sleep as she does. Lord knows you’ve been through hell just to save her.”

He shook his head fervently and frowned. “Like it or not, Miss MacFarlane, I’m not goin’ anywhere. Not until she’s better.”

She cupped the side of his face with a gentle hand and smirked at him. “You’re a sweetheart, Jack. I’m sure she’ll appreciate it when she comes to. But still, you should go freshen up. You’ve still got blood on your clothes, for God’s sake!”

He blinked and looked down at himself. The streaks of dried blood didn’t faze him as he sat back down in the creaky wooden chair and crossed his arms over his chest. His gaze fell on Maddie, and once again tears welled in his eyes.

He flinched when he felt Bonnie’s hand on his shoulder.

“Jack, honey, you can go now. I’ll keep an eye on her.”

“I can go without sleep or a bath for a couple days.”

“The hell you are, Jack!”

Her left hand grasped at the bed sheet but paused when she recalled Maddie wasn’t dressed proper underneath. She gave Jack a look, hinting he either leave or look away; Jack turned his chair around as she pulled down the bed sheet and changed Maddie’s bandages on her right bicep and left calf. As she worked, she glanced over at Jack, and said, “You know, you sure are your father’s son. You’ve turned out just as stubborn as he was, if not worse.”

He didn’t say a word as he looked forward and waited patiently with his elbows resting on his knees and his hands clasped together before him. He rested his chin on his hands and stared mindlessly out at the morning through the window beside the front door. Though he was sleep-deprived, hungry, and in desperate need of a bath, he sat waiting for the world to turn, for things to get better. He sat unmoving throughout most of the day, feeling much like the gargoyles he’d read in one of the books he’d read so long ago as he watched over her. Never again would she be hurt in any way imaginable, not while he was around.

 

*             *             *

 

His determination didn’t prove the victor after that day; Bonnie and the doctor insisted he get out of the office. It took Drew and another ranch hand to physically take him away from Maddie. As his captors dragged him outside and onto the front porch, he glanced back at Maddie, who was just starting to wake up.

He dug his heels into the ground like a stubborn mule and tried to wheel around, but Drew and the man grabbed him firmly and drug him on. Once they were outside, they released him and stood blocking the doctor’s office from Jack. Jack paced back and forth, looking like a caged wolf searching for a weakness in the fence as he tried to break through, but Drew pressed a hand to his chest and bade him to stop.

“Calm down now, son,” he commanded, his deep voice holding a perturbed edge to it. He looked him firmly in the eyes. “Jack, listen to me: you need to get out of that damn building.”

“But she’s just waking up!” he shouted and tried once again to rush past him. “I need to be there so—”

“And just how well do you think that’s gonna suit her when she sees you standin’ over her when she wakes up in a world of hurt?” Drew grabbed him firmly by the shoulders. “Jack, she doesn’t need to be in any more pain than she already is. Just look at her!”

Jack’s anger snapped just then, and he violently threw Drew’s hands off his shoulders. “Mister MacFarlane, if you don’t get outta my way and let me in there, I’ll—”

“You’ll do no such thing, boy, not while I’m still kickin’!” Drew roared back and grasped him by the collar of his shirt. He shook some sense into him as he commanded, “Now, you’re gonna listen, and you’re gonna listen good! I want you to go wash up and change into some cleaner clothes! Then I want you to help out around the ranch! I don’t want you sittin’ around wastin’ time feelin’ sorry for yourself or for Maddie! You’re gonna leave her alone until she’s ready to see you, you understand? And if me or Bonnie or anyone else catches you tryin’ to see her, we’ll drag you back outside and beat some sense into you, you got it?”

Jack glared at him, his entire body quaking with rage. “Why?”

“Think about it, Jack. She doesn’t need to see the man who killed her uncle standin’ over her as she’s wakin’ up. I know you saved her, and I know you’re close with her, but that might not be enough for her right now. You’re like a son to me, Jack, but you’ve hurt my Maddie so much more than I care to admit, and for that I’m almost tempted on givin’ you a few good hits with my fist right about now. She’s like a daughter to me, and I don’t want her to feel any more pain than she’s already in.”

Jack bristled with outrage. “ _I love her, sir!_ Why would you think I—”

“You’re NOT to see her, Jack! You understand me?”

Jack clenched his jaw tight and glared at the older man.

Drew pulled him closer and returned the scowl. “I said… _do you understand me?”_

_“Yes, sir.”_

“Alright, then,” Drew replied and released him. He pointed to Jack’s shed and said, “Now, go clean up, get dressed, and then go straight to the horse corral. Help Nigel here with feedin’ and waterin’ them, then saddle up your horse and wait for me by the cow pen. We’re gonna take the herd out to pasture today, and I expect you willin’ and able to do your job today. Alright?”

Jack nodded curtly.

Drew patted his shoulder and softened his expression. “There’s a good man, Jack.” He nodded behind him, motioning to the doctor’s office and subsequently to Maddie as he added, “She’ll be fine, boy. Bonnie and the doc will take care of her. Now, let’s go get some work done. I could use a good man like you out there today. Bring your guns in case we run into any cattle rustlers. I’ll see you in a few.”

With that, the men parted ways. Jack cast one last worrisome glance back at the doctor’s office before he turned and walked to his shed.

 

*             *             *

 

Three days passed, and it was all that she could do to stay in bed any longer. Though she knew she was protected and surrounded by loving people, she fought even in sanctuary. She waited until Bonnie and the doctor left to fetch clean bed sheets and fresh water for the wash basin before she rose stiffly out of bed. Today was the day she’d rise up and fight back, but from what she did not yet know.

Maddie looked down at herself as the sheets fell to her lap. She sat up in bed and was surprised to find she was wearing only a slip and a nightgown. Suiting it well enough to be seen out in, she swung her legs gingerly over the side of the bed, wincing as her body screamed at her. The pain between her legs and inside of her had faded considerably; she had healed up quicker than she expected. Her face, ribs, wrists, and gunshot wounds still throbbed with fresh stabs of pain. Despite the morphine and the natural medicinal remedies the doctor and Bonnie had given her to heal her physical wounds, the wounds within remained, ripped and bleeding. She felt as if she wasn’t in control of her body, and that her mind and body were separate beings. She felt almost ethereal, not quite in her body but not quite out of it watching as she rose weakly to her feet. The nightgown hung loosely from her petite frame; she felt considerably skinnier, frailer than she’d ever felt before. Still, she had to fight. It was all she had left in her, just an inch of dignity and one last punch to throw…one last bullet to fire...

Her mind was in a whirl of mixed emotions and thoughts as she looked around the room. She found her guns and other accoutrements laying nearby on top of a dresser. She shuffled over, grabbed one of her semi-automatic pistols off the counter, and checked to see if the magazine was loaded. She grinned. _Three or four bullets ought to do it._

She turned and marched weakly out the door, her nightgown floating behind her like a ghost. A part of her was gone, another was still lying in that accursed bed, but the biggest part of her burned for one last shot of revenge. It was enough to get her enervated body moving again, and she looked around the ranch as she walked straight over to Jack’s shed. She growled when she did not find him there, but a jolt of adrenaline and murderous glee shocked her heart into a pounding rhythm as she spotted him over by the corral cleaning out stalls.

Gripping her pistol tightly by her side, she strode forward as fast as her weak body would allow.

So hell-bent on her revenge was she that she didn’t hear urgent footsteps rushing up behind her and a familiar feminine voice shrieking her name.

Jack turned at the sound of Bonnie’s voice yelling his beloved’s name and approaching footfalls. Curious, he walked out of the corral, turning as he closed the gate. Turning back around, he looked out in the direction of the noise.

The pitchfork slipped out of his hands and clattered to the ground at his feet; his jaw dropped at the sight of Maddie, bruised, battered, and angry, stumbling over to him. Bonnie trailed behind her with a worried countenance. He looked her over with worry and exclaimed, “Maddie, what is God’s name are you doin’?! You should be in bed!”

“You have NO RIGHT to tell me what to do, you murdering bastard!” she yelled as she and Bonnie came to a stop before him. Her arm shaking with rage, she raised up her right hand and slapped him across the face before pointing a scolding finger at him. “How DARE you, Jack Marston! I trusted you, I grew to care for you, even _kissed_ you, but YOU are the worst scum imaginable! Words cannot DESCRIBE how much I HATE you! You killed my uncle, you sack of shit! You killed him in cold blood!”

“I did,” he agreed sorrowfully, his head bowing in guilt. The right side of his face stung, but he welcomed the pain as he looked back up at her. “You have _every right_ to be angry with me. Go ahead. Punch me, kick me, slap me, do whatever. I’ll take it.”

She glared maliciously up at him. Taking up her gun with her right hand, she pistol-whipped him and exclaimed, “You’re damn right you’ll take it, you son of a bitch! I ought to do more than that, boy. I ought to shoot you dead right now… but I’m gonna give you a chance. Since you saved my life, I’ll spare you…but only for a short period of time.”

Jack stumbled back and doubled over as he clutched at his face. Pain enveloped his head, making his eyesight blur temporarily.

“You have ten minutes to get off this property and go back to that _shit-hole_ of a ranch you came from! If your time’s up and you’re still on this land, I’ll shoot you down like the criminal you are! You’ll be nothin’ but target practice for me, you hear?!”

Bonnie grabbed her firmly by the arm and stepped forward to shield Jack from her. “You have _no right_ to tell him that! He has just as much right to be on this ranch as you do, Madeline!”

“And **YOU!”** Maddie roared as she reeled around and yanked her arm out of her captor’s grasp. She pointed one steely, accusing finger at her friend. “You _LIED_ to me, Bonnie! _You knew about this all along and you didn’t tell me!_ So _don’t_ go bossin’ me around when you have NO ROOM TO DO SO!”

Bonnie’s faced turned white with shock; her eyes widened in outrage. “I have EVERY RIGHT, Madeline! _You_ have NO SAY in this matter! He’s stayin’ here whether you want him to or not! **_I_** own this ranch, _not_ you, so DO NOT presume to boss people around when you have NO authority!”

Maddie stiffened in outrage. “I’m NOT stayin’ here if he is! It’s either him or me, Bonnie. Which is it?”

“Enough of this stupidity! Just because things aren’t in your favor doesn’t mean you have to change things to make it your way! You’re acting childish, and quite frankly, it’s _pissin’ me off!_ I don’t care what he’s done in the past; he’s changed, he’s been pardoned, he’s a new man now. _He’s stayin’ here, and that’s that!_ ”

“CHILDISH?! For what, loving my uncle and hating his killer? How is that childish?! This is BULLSHIT, Bonnie! I _can’t believe_ you’re siding with _him_ , a _mass murderer_ and a _liar!_ He hasn’t changed!”

“Yes, he has!” Bonnie argued, stepping closer to her. “ _You’re_ the one who hasn’t changed, who still thinks the world has to turn around you! You should know better than to think such stupid things! So I’d shut up if I were you and get back in bed!”

Maddie firmly stood her ground and hissed, “I’m not goin’ anywhere until this has been settled!”

“I’ll go,” Jack offered softly.

“What?” the women chorused as they looked at him.

He frowned as he gestured to himself. “I’ve already made a mess of things. Since I’m the one at fault here, I’ll just go and leave you two to move on along without me ruining your lives.”

Bonnie’s jaw dropped. “Jack, you can’t—”

“Bonnie, it’s fine. I’ll go.”

Before either could speak further, Maddie whirled back to Jack and declared, “Then it’s decided! You have ten minutes! Get goin’ before I change my mind and shoot you right now!” To emphasize her point, she pulled up the toggle on her pistol with her left hand, brought it up with her right, and pressed the barrel against Jack’s chest. “GO NOW!”

“But Maddie, let me just explain—”

_“NINE. MINUTES. MARSTON.”_

In desperation, he looked over at Bonnie, and when she nodded hastily, he knew it was best to comply. Without looking back at the women who are starting to argue and scream at each other, Jack ran to his father’s shed, packed his belongings, ran to the barn, and saddled up Sundance. He was done in record time with three minutes to spare as he loped Sundance out of the barn and stopped before the horse corral where Maddie and Bonnie and the majority of ranch hands were gathered.

“I’m tellin’ you he doesn’t deserve this!” Bonnie yelled. She and Maddie stood a hands-breath away from each other, their arms shaking and their faces screwed up in anger.

“And _I’m_ telling _you_ he DOES!” Maddie roared back. “What makes him so different from all the other outlaws I’ve thrown in jail here at the ranch?! Just because he’s the son of the man you wanted to be with does NOT make him family, much less a person worth saving! You have _no_ obligation towards him or his late family, so why bother, Bonnie? Besides, he’s hurt me more than any other man in my life! He’s done here on this ranch; I don’t want anything more to do with him!”

As he approached, Maddie paused to glare up at him. Bonnie and the rest of the ranch hands turned and followed her seething gaze. Jack fidgeted in the saddle, uncomfortable with being the center of attention. He looked to Maddie and waited for his next orders.

Maddie motioned out to Hennigan’s Stead with a dismissive jerk of her head. “Get out of here, Marston. I’m through lookin’ at your ugly face. Get out of my sight and out of my life.”

Her words struck him to the quick. He stared down at her, hurt beyond explanation. “Madeline,” he pleaded, even though his words were futile.

“DON’T start beggin’, you son of a bitch! I said get outta here!”

“Maddie, please—”

She pointed her gun at his forehead. _“LEAVE!”_

Again, Jack looked to Bonnie for support.

Bonnie nodded somberly and looked him over one last time. “Go, Jack. I’ll come by in a couple days.”

“Bonnie…”

“Just go. Now. Before she changes her mind.”

He flicked his gaze from her to all the ranch hands and then to Maddie. “I’m so sorry, Madeline. I—”

She pointed her gun down at the ground in front of Sundance’s hooves and shot off three rounds, making the stallion shriek and rear wildly. Jack barely reacted in time to grasp the saddle horn as the horse spun around and bolted down the road, out of the ranch, and across Hennigan’s Stead.

The minutes flew by like the wilderness around him as Sundance galloped on through Thieves’ Landing and up into the Great Plains, at which point the stallion was played out and eased to a slow walk. He blew loudly, his breathing labored and his sides drenched in sweat. Jack patted his neck before settling back into the saddle with an egregious sigh. The adrenaline from the ride was gone, leaving his body to be overdosed with a wave of guilt and sorrow.

The horse’s gait reflected his rider’s grief: the stallion drug his hooves across the ground, barely lifting his legs, and held his head and tail low as he walked down the road towards Beecher’s Hope. Jack barely noticed this, much less the world around him. He slouched terribly in the saddle, his head bowed so low his chin nearly touched his collarbone. Cowboys and their horses rode briskly past him, unaware of his sorrow as they greeted him cheerily before whizzing by. A constant breeze sighed across the plains, picking up Jack’s duster, playing with his hair, and tossing his horse’s mane and tail about. The air grew cold and the breeze grew into a gusting wind as storm clouds, grey and pregnant with rain, loomed overhead. The skies darkened, cloaking the world with a gloomy atmosphere that emulated how hollow, cold, and miserable he felt.

Thunder boomed and cracked above. Despite his exhaustion, Sundance spooked and reared. Jack let him; he did nothing to comfort the animal, even after he landed back down on all fours. Instead, he urged him onward to the dilapidated homestead. The palomino walked on and uttered a nervous nicker.

Before he knew it, Jack was riding down the road of his ancient, rotting homestead. Swallowing thickly, he looked up for the first time in an hour and felt his heart drop to his gut at the sight of what was left of Beecher’s Hope. Time and the elements took to the house, barn, fence, and silo with a vengeance. The place looked and felt utterly dead.

 _My God…this place_ , Jack thought as he stopped Sundance before the barn. He dismounted and looked around, his jaw dropping at the sad sight of his former home. He opened the rusty-hinged double doors and winced as they swung outward with a shrill shriek. He led his tired mount into the barn, unsaddled him in the closest stall, and sat his tack upon a dusty saw horse. He led him back out to the water trough pumped water up for the stallion to drink his fill, and then led him back into the barn. He climbed the creaky ladder to the loft and was amazed to find a bale of hay that wasn’t completely rotten sitting up in the rafters; he threw down half the bale to his horse, and the animal began to eat his fill. As the stallion munched away, Jack climbed back down and stood staring off into space beside the horse. He rested a hand on the horse’s sweat-drenched wither; his fingers intertwined themselves in his mane. He tilted back his head and let out an enervated sigh, tired both physically and emotionally. It was all too much, too sudden of a change for him to go through.

Horse and rider flinched as a crack of thunder went off like a gunshot overhead; the barn groaned and quivered from the power of it. Sundance jerked his head up and whickered anxiously, his eyes widening. Jack patted his neck and cooed, “Easy, boy. It’s all right.” The horse slightly calmed at his assuaging voice and, after a brief pause, resumed grazing on his bale.

Quite suddenly, the rain began to fall. It began as a modest trickle before it rapidly became a heavy downpour. The wind picked up and slammed the barn doors against the threshold. Sundance spooked, nearly knocking Jack over as he bolted for the back of the barn. Letting a string of curses flow underneath his breath, Jack jogged to the barn doors and shut them. Walking back to his horse, he grabbed him by the mane and led him back to what was left of his bale.

“Come on, Sundance,” he urged. “Calm down and eat.” When the horse slowly complied, he patted his neck and turned to leave the barn.

He paused in mid-step as he thought about going into the house. He shook his head. _No. I’ll be damned if I set foot in there tonight._ He turned back to his horse and smirked. _I’ve got all the company I need right here._

He climbed back up and tossed down a bale of straw; the twine snapped and spilled its contents about the floor. He climbed down, grabbed a pitchfork, and spread it out evenly between Sundance’s stall. He placed his hat over his face and bedded down for the night in the stall. He fell asleep to the sound of heavy rainfall against the roof and his horse munching on his hay.


	31. Hurt

**Chapter Track** : “Hurt” – Johnny Cash

 

The wind sighed and whistled through the leaves of the large birch tree; all was quiet on the plains, deathly still that morning. Jack stood on the hill overlooking his ramshackle of a ranch and sighed. He held his father’s hat before him in his hands as he looked back down at his parents’ graves; he tried to swallow down the lump in his throat. He felt déjà vu setting in: he’d stood there many times over, and he recalled the day he laid his mother to rest before riding off to find and kill Edgar Ross.

 _And now, look at where I’m at_ , he thought with a shake of his head. _After all the hard work, after all that progress, I’m right back where I started._

To say he was disappointed was an understatement: besides the guilt and sadness that compressed his heart, he couldn’t help but feel like an utter failure. He knew he’d disappointed not only himself but his parents as well, despite the fact that he returned to his home two days ago and hadn’t done much since besides mope around the house and become consumed by misery. Most of the time, he spent outside in the corral with his horse, finding solace and comfort in his only companion. He kept the horse’s coat well-groomed, made sure he was fed and watered, even rode him around the fence most of the time bareback with a rope halter. The stallion kept him company and helped ease the ache of loneliness and worthlessness.

“I’ve failed you,” he whispered as he read the inscriptions he’d carved so long ago on the grave markers. He grew angry as tears began to accumulate in his eyes; he hastily wiped them away with the back of his hand. “Even with all the hard work I’ve done this past year, it’s been all for nothin’. This place sure as hell shows it, with the way it’s goin’ to waste. I suppose I should fix it up, just for the sake of your wishes. I wouldn’t want to disappoint you again. God knows I’ve done that so many times over.”

He knelt before his parents’ graves and bowed his head. Never had he felt so unworthy of life, so much of a failed, fallen prodigal son. Many minutes passed as he silently grieved. The world turned without him. Life went on, but it somehow left him to rot away in his never-ending grey world of despair.

Jack was stirred from his deep thoughts and dark well of misery as the thunder of hoof falls and cattle lowing approached. From his vantage point, he saw a herd of fourteen cows and a bull being driven by Bonnie and two ranch hands, with Bonnie up front on Féileacán. A supply wagon brought up the rear, driven by Eli Jones. Jack stood up, put his hat on, and trudged down the hill. He walked over the corral gate and opened it just as the herd was being driven onto his property. Bonnie led the cattle into the corral before riding her horse back out and dismounting before Jack. She rushed forward and pulled him into a tight embrace.

“Oh, thank God you’re all right, Jack,” she said. “I could’ve sworn up and down she’d chase after you and shoot you right off your horse!”

“She had every right to,” he replied as he returned the embrace. “I’m rather disappointed she didn’t.”

Bonnie let go of him and gave him a dirty look. “Don’t you _dare_ say that! You don’t deserve to get shot down like that, not after all you’ve gone through.”

Jack stared down at the ground. “Yeah, but what was it all for, Bonnie? I did all that, and I _still_ feel worthless. I went through it all just to lose her. None of it’s worth it anymore. She’ll never forgive me, and she’ll never forget. She’s gone from me forever.”

“That’s how I felt when I divorced Nathaniel,” Bonnie offered as she lifted his chin with a gentle hand. Their eyes met, and she gave him an encouraging smile. “I thought I’d _never_ get over what that bastard did to me, yet here I am happy as can be. Sure, it hurts to know I’m alone, but, Jack, there’s _always_ a new day at hand. There’s _always_ tomorrow, a new beginning. Maybe she’ll never forgive you, maybe she will. It’s not up to you to decide what’ll happen next: it’s hers. You’ve done your part and come clean. Now it’s all up to her to decide whether or not to forgive you.”

“And if she doesn’t? Will she come after me, or will she stay at your ranch and continue to hate me for the rest of her life?”

“That’s not decided yet, Jack. The cards are dealt; now it’s her turn. We just need to wait for her to make her move.”

He frowned and looked over her shoulder at his newly-acquired herd of cattle walking about the corral. “So what happens now?” he asked as he looked back at her.

“You start anew.” She motioned to the supply wagon and to the cattle. “This is for you to start again. Begin a new life. Move on. Make change happen to this place, and in time, you’ll come to see it’ll pay off in the end. You have tough times ahead of you, but you’ll manage. You can do this, Jack.”

He held out his hand to her in gratitude. She took it before pulling him into another tight hug, and he smirked at this. As she released him, he asked, “So what are your plans? Will you keep on as you have been?”

She nodded. “There’s not much else I _can_ do, ‘cept do what I have always been doin’.”

“How’s…. how’s Maddie?”

Bonnie’s expression drooped. She sighed and shook her head. “Don’t know. The day you took off to come back here, she disappeared. She packed up, took her horse and her guns, and just rode off when we weren’t lookin’. She can be a sneaky one, but I don’t have to tell you that. I rode around and tried to find her, but she was a step ahead of me. That’s why I was worried I’d find you dead either on the road or here. I thought for sure she’d come after you and do you in.”

Jack shook his head and scoffed. “Well, I’m still alive, for some reason. I haven’t seen her since she drove me off your ranch.” His voice changed to a more intense, worrisome tone as he asked, “Will she be okay? I’m worried for her, especially after…what happened to her, and now that I’ve told her I killed her uncle…” He ran a hand over his face with a heavy sigh.

She wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulders and pressed him closer to her. “It’ll be all right, Jack.”

“You’re a terrible liar, Miss MacFarlane.”

She allowed herself a small chuckle and shook his shoulders. “Yeah, I know. But I don’t know what else to tell you.”

“Neither do I.”

She took her arm off his shoulders, patted him good-naturedly on the back, and nodded to the supply wagon. “Come on. Let’s unload your supplies.”

She’d brought him enough food and supplies to last him a couple months, as well as enough timber and nails to repair his house, the barn, and the fence. There was plenty of feed for his livestock by the time they put the bales of hay and sacks of feed in the barn loft. With the help of Eli and the other ranch hands, they unloaded the wagon and put away the food into the pantry and the other storage room in the house.

Jack was also given two other surprises: Bonnie gave him Féileacán, since he’d bought her originally for Maddie and thought it best the filly lived at his ranch instead. Before he could thank her, she whistled, and out jumped a black and white dog from the wagon. Jack was amazed he hadn’t noticed the beautiful pup beforehand, and when the dog rushed up to meet him and Bonnie with his tail wagging wildly, he and the canine took an instant liking to each other.

“He’s all yours, Jack. I thought you’d need a companion here at the ranch. Django here could use a new home, anyways, since one of our dogs had pups not too long ago.”

He thanked her repeatedly as he petted the young dog. Django licked his face and leaned against him, absolutely adoring the attention he was being given.

Once all was said and done, the ranch hands shook Jack’s hand and bade him good bye and good luck. Bonnie hugged him fiercely and said, “You take care of yourself, Jack Marston. Take care of this ranch and these animals, but most of all, _take care of yourself_. If you need anything, _absolutely anything_ , let me know if you need some help…or if you see Maddie. Call me if anything comes up.”

Jack returned the embrace, thankful to have such an amazing and caring friend. “I will, Miss MacFarlane. Thank you for everything.” Beside him, Django whined and licked his hand, begging for attention. As he withdrew from Bonnie, he patted the dog’s head and smiled down at him. The dog looked right back up at him with bright brown eyes, his ears perked and his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.

Bonnie climbed up into the wagon and took up the reins. She and the ranch hands looked him over with bright, hopeful smiles, and when she flicked the reins and got the horses to trot down the road and off his property, Jack stood waving and smiling after them. He stood there with his new companion, one hand on the dog’s head and the other at his side as he watched his friends disappear down the road.

He looked down at Django when the dog whined and leaned against his leg, hooking one of his front paws around his calf. He smiled down at his new best friend, petted his head, and said, “Well, boy, let’s get to work.”

Renovating the house seemed easier said than done. He figured he’d set to work on the outside first and make his way around the wrap-around porch before starting on the siding and roof. Within ten minutes of work, he hurt himself. The hammer missed the nail and instead struck his hand right between his thumb and index finger.

Instead of cursing, he focused on the pain. As he stared at his throbbing hand, the pain was the only raw, pure thing he had felt in so long, aside from guilt and regret and sadness. He liked how visceral and powerful it was; it made him feel alive for the first time since returning to his broken-down ranch. As he stared at his hand, his memories stirred, and her voice began to echo within his mind…

_How DARE you, Jack Marston!_

_Words cannot DESCRIBE how much I HATE you!_

The pain doubled; he felt his chest tighten.

_Get out of my sight and out of my life._

He bowed his head and bit down on his lip. Though the words were said three days ago, her voice still pierced his heart and made his breath hitch in his throat. She haunted his every waking thought; she plagued him every night in his dreams. Yet through all his agony, he did his best to stay busy. His eyes narrowed as he concentrated on his work, dismissing his throbbing hand and her memory. He felt his heart become poisoned with hate, anger, and sadness, the same feelings he’d felt after his parents were gone. He chuckled bitterly to himself, thinking, _So things_ _really haven’t changed…I’m_ _still_ _just an angry, lonely kid..._ He shook his head, disgusted. _This is all just bullshit. I may be a free man, but what’s the fuckin’ point if I’m back to square one? What’s the point of it all, if I can’t be happy here…if I can’t have her? She’s the one that’s changed; she’s someone else… I am still right here._

In his rage and frustration, he pounded the nails into each board, working hard to repair his home and heart. He worked for hours on end, occasionally hitting his hands and cursing loudly. With each miss, with each strike, her face and her words flashed across his mind, flaring momentarily just as the pain did. The pain faded, but her memory didn’t, and so he did his best to forget and work.

He worked until dark. He dreaded the night, as he knew he’d sit and reflect and grow depressed, so he turned on the porch light and continued working. Django sat faithfully by his side. Occasionally, the dog would paw his leg, and Jack would smile and pause in his work to pet him. He absolutely loved having the dog around; he had missed Rufus for so long and yearned to have another dog.

When at last he grew exhausted, Jack retired inside, with Django trailing after his heels. He had repaired most of the exterior of the house, and he was proud to have been so productive. _Now if I can keep myself busy, I’ll be fine_ , he reasoned as he laid down in his bed. He grinned as Django hopped up on the bed and laid down next to him. _Now that I’ve got this place to fix up and fifteen cattle and two horses to look after, I’ll be busy for quite some time._ He smirked as he petted his new best friend. _Yup, I’ll be just fine._

But even as he thought it, he knew his declaration was false. He knew he’d never be fine, never get over what he’d done to her. He’d miss her until the long years of his troubled life were utterly spent and even after he was long gone. Before he let himself become consumed by depression, he forced all thought and memory of her out of his mind and closed his eyes, sighing heavily. Exhausted from the long day, he quickly fell asleep with his new companion lying beside him.

 

*             *             *

 

The half-empty bottle of whiskey did nothing to calm her nerves or set her straight from the swirling, tumultuous storm that raged within her. The Great Plains was just as empty as it has always been, and now as Maddie sat staring out at the landscape bathed in moonlight, it all seemed so desolate and lifeless. The campfire she’d built earlier crackled beside her, giving her enough warmth but small enough to not draw any unwanted attention. She had kept her pistols loaded and her wits about her the second she’d saddled up Gypsy and rode out of Bonnie’s ranch unbeknownst to her friend and the ranch hands. She rode blindly about, still in a rage after letting that bastard go alive and in good health no less.

“That fucker doesn’t deserve it,” she hissed up at Gypsy, whom she had picketed quite closely to her camp. She felt safer with her horse nearby, now that she had absolutely no trust in the world. Maddie looked her horse resolutely in the eyes and shook her head. “He doesn’t deserve to live, girl, not after what he’s done.”

The mare blew and pawed the ground.

“My thoughts exactly.” She lifted the bottle back to her lips and took a sip. She frowned: despite the fact she’d drank half of it in less than an hour, she didn’t feel any better. She was too angry to get drunk. With an incoherent shout, she threw the bottle away and sat glaring into the fire.

Her thoughts, scattered and erratic as they already were, jumped to Bonnie and how she’d argued with her. Regret made her gaze droop and her spirits dampen more so than they already were. She sighed heavily and let a few tears well up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall…not yet, at least. _I shouldn’t have yelled at her,_ she thought. She wrapped her arms around herself. _I wonder if she’ll let me go back to the ranch after what I said to her…_

Her gaze hardened as she argued, _But my anger WAS justified. How dare she stand beside Jack and say he’s a changed man?! Once an outlaw, always an outlaw. He lied to me, and I don’t care how much he worked to become a free man. The fact still stands: he killed my uncle. He’s denied me everything, even my revenge over the man that defiled me!_ More tears accumulated in her eyes, but she bit her lip and held them steadfast. She shut her eyes tightly as the pain in her chest rose and poisoned the rest of her body with hate, anger, betrayal, and sadness. She refused to let the scattered bits and pieces of her rape reemerge in her thoughts; her brain had built an air-tight concrete wall to shield her from the painful, horrifying memories. The wall held…for now. She felt outside of herself, her body not really hers and her mind fervently separate from it. She quickly returned her thoughts to Jack and how he betrayed her. She let the anger flow and consume every inch of her. _I should’ve known it was him all this time._ _Why in God’s name did I grow to trust him? Uncle Edgar was right: you can’t ever trust an outlaw, or else they’ll shoot you down when you least expect it. But…who’s to say Uncle was a better man anyways?_

_But then again, he did save me…_

_And he did kiss me…_

_…But he’s still a goddamned outlaw son of a whore who needs a bullet to the head!_

Her eyebrows narrowed over her blazing brown eyes. _There’s only one way to end this, to make this right. Come dawn, I’ll rectify the wrongs and start anew. No more bounty hunts; I’m staying with Bonnie and I’ll do nothin’ but protect her and work with her. We’ll work together in this so-called man’s world, and we’ll thrive. There will be no need to have men in our lives when we can live with just each other, where we won’t hurt or lie or betray each other. Our world will be better because of all that._

_And there will be no more Jack Marston._

 

*             *             *

 

The morning came so sudden to Jack; he woke well-rested and ready to face the day. Beside him atop the sheets, Django rose and panted happily, his tail wagging and his brown eyes alight with excitement. Jack grinned and petted him on the head and neck.

“Come on, boy,” he said to the dog as he rose out of bed. “Let’s get to work. You hungry?”

The dog barked in response. Jack dressed and headed into the kitchen, his friend trailing behind him. He ruffled through the supplies he was given and rummaged up a quick breakfast, giving a portion of it to his dog, before heading outside. He took his time as he fed and watered his livestock. He brushed out Sundance and talked to the horse as if he could answer, with his dog at his side the entire time.

Around mid-morning, he continued working on the house replacing the floorboards on the wrap-around porch. It took him some time to cut and smooth out the lumber Bonnie had given him, but he enjoyed the labor. His mind was a clean slate, like an artist mulling over a white canvas. Subsequently, he wasn’t happy, nor was he depressed, just hard at work and concentrating on keeping busy.

He was just finishing up nailing the wood onto the porch when the faint sound of hoof falls made him stop and look up from his work. Beside him, Django stood up and stared down the road that led into the ranch, his ears perked forward and his nose twitching.

“What is it, boy?” Jack asked and shaded his face with a hand as he looked down the path. Out on the road past his property, a black mirage emerged from the plains. He gasped as it morphed into a black horse with flaxen mane and tail: he knew that horse anywhere, as well as the woman who rode her. The mare was barreling down the road toward his ranch, creating billowing clouds of dust behind her.

Django began barking and growling at the intruder as Jack half-stumbled half-walked down the porch steps; his jaw dropped open as Gypsy came galloping toward him. Her rider pulled her to a sliding stop ten feet in front of him. Maddie was already dismounting and storming up to Jack before Gypsy had come to a complete stop. Heavy bags had settled under her eyes, and her hair was tangled and wild from her furious riding. The bruises from her traumatizing event were still there, though not as atrocious as they were four days ago. Her clothes were caked with dust. Her hair and duster billowed lividly behind her as she advanced up to him, her hands clenched into shaking fists as her brow scrunched up. Tears welled in her eyes and her chin trembled.

Before he could say a word, she punched him hard in the face. Jack stumbled backwards and doubled over from the power of the blow. He straightened up and stared at her in open-mouthed shock; he thought he’d never see her again.

His heart dropped to his stomach when she swiftly drew her right pistol and pointed it directly at his chest.

“M-Maddie, what are you doin’ here?”

“Doin’ what I should’ve done a year ago!” she proclaimed. “I’ve come to finally do your sorry ass in, Marston! You’re nothin’ but a liar and a murderer! YOU DON’T DESERVE TO LIVE AFTER WHAT YOU’VE DONE!” Her chest heaved from her furious panting. “It was a mistake lettin’ you leave Bonnie’s ranch alive. I realize that now. I should’ve shot you down when I had the chance. But no matter: I’ll soon be seein’ your dead body at my feet.”

“You’re gonna shoot me right here and now?”

“ _You’re damned right I am!_ Bonnie’s not here to save you, neither is Drew or Eli or any of the other ranch hands. It’s just you and me, and we’re gonna do this the good old-fashioned way.” She nodded down to the pistol that hung at his side. “You’re gonna duel me, ya son of a bitch, and you’re gonna do it RIGHT NOW!”

Jack glanced down at his high-powered pistol; he looked back up at Maddie and drew his pistol, only to toss it aside and stand before her with his arms spread open in submission.

“PICK IT UP!” she screamed, motioning to his gun with hers before returning her aim back at his chest. She began to pace in front of him like a she-wolf eyeing her prey before she went in for the fatal blow.

“I’m not duelin’ against you,” Jack said. “Never in a million years would I even consider it, Madeline. I care about you too much for you to do that.”

“SHUT UP! I’VE HAD IT WITH YOUR LIES!”

“I’m not lyin’, Maddie. I lo—”

She stopped in mid-stride and fixed her gun on his forehead. “ _DON’T_ YOU FUCKIN’ SAY IT! DON’T YOU _DARE!_ ”

“It’s the truth. I always have, and I always will—”

“STOP SAYING THAT! _STOP IT!”_ The pistol in her hand shook as she struggled to keep her gun on him. Tears of rage and confusion trickled down her cheeks, creating clean streaks down her dirt-sodden face. “I’M GONNA KILL YOU! I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL, JACK MARSTON!”

Jack fearlessly stepped closer to her, so close that he could feel the pain radiate off her and see her entire body trembling. He looked deep into her eyes as he grabbed the barrel of her semi-automatic pistol and pressed it into the middle of his chest.

“If you’re gonna do it, then do it.”

Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She shook her head, and a dreadful, denying moan escaped her throat.

Jack nodded once more. “You’ve wanted to do this for so long, so here’s your chance. Do it. Kill me so we can end this, and you can go on without me hurtin’ you and spoilin’ your life. Just do it. I’ve accepted it, and so should you.”

Her expression morphed from morbid determination to terrified shock and back; Jack felt the barrel being pressed into his chest, then withdrawn, then pressed in once again.

“Maddie, please.”

“I…”

“Do it.”

“I……I _CAN’T!_ ”

The pistol slipped out of her hands and dropped to the ground at her feet. Her body shivered violently, and she fell heavily to her knees at Jack’s feet, becoming overwhelmed with heavy, wailing sobs. Her hat tumbled off her head and her hair spilled out over her face and the ground as she fell forward onto her forearms and pressed her forehead against the ground, almost crumpling into a fetal position as she cried out in utter defeat. She brought up a trembling fist above her, only to drive it hopelessly down onto the ground beside her head as she wailed, “Why? Goddamn it, WHY?! _WHY?!_ ” Over and over she drove her fist into the ground, weeping heavily all the while.

Tears swelled in Jack’s eyes at the sight of the woman he loved disintegrate before him. He knelt quietly before her and wrapped his arms around her and drew her in close. She writhed within his arms, sobbing and punching his stomach and chest at first, before she finally gave up and threw her arms around him in return. She buried her face into the front of his shirt and wept bitterly, her body convulsing from her sorrow and confusion. Jack held her tighter and buried his face in her hair, feeling his own sorrow and grief beginning to burst out of his control. He let the tears slide freely down his face; he didn’t care about holding it all back, now that he held her in his arms, now that they were comforting each other. He didn’t care about anything else anymore: all that mattered to him now was comforting Maddie and bringing her back to who she once was.

He never suspected how difficult that would be…


	32. Broken

**Chapter Track** : “Arwen’s Vigil” – The Piano Guys

 

He didn’t know how long they sat there clutching each other, but by the time Maddie had cried herself silent, she was completely unresponsive. When her breakdown faded into nothingness, the shell she was now was all that was left. Jack grew concerned when she didn’t speak to him, much less moved. Worried over her sudden silence, he leaned back to observe her as she lay heavily in his arms, and he was shocked to see a glossy look in her eyes. He took her by the shoulders and looked deep into her eyes.

“Maddie? You all right?”

Her glassy-eyed stare was not her; she looked nothing more than an inanimate doll.

He shook her shoulders. “Maddie. Maddie! Can you hear me? What’s wrong? Maddie?!”

Panic set in quickly, and when she refused to respond to any further pleadings, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her inside. Not knowing what else to do, he took her into his parents’ bedroom and laid her down upon the bed. He sat beside her and looked her over incessantly, his mind a clueless whirl of panic and indecision. Whenever he asked what was wrong, she didn’t speak. Whenever he touched her arm or cupped her face with a hand, she didn’t seem to care. The complete deterioration was horrifying for him to watch, and he felt absolutely helpless.

He spent the rest of the night with her in that room. His concern was exacerbated when she didn’t fall asleep, much less moved the entire time since he laid her down. At last, he stood up, pulled the covers over her, and left the room. As he quietly closed the door behind him, he stared down at the floor, his mind and body numbed with worry and exhaustion. He ran a hand over his face and sighed.

 _What the hell do I do?_ he thought as he shuffled down the hallway. He barely noticed Django following him until the dog licked his hand and leaned against his leg. Half-mindedly, he leaned down and petted the dog on his head before walking over to the living room and sitting down on the couch in front of the fireplace. Though there were no flames in the hearth, he stared into the fireplace where they should’ve been started long ago, but he was far too busy worrying about what to do with Maddie. Django hopped up on the couch beside him and rested his head on his master’s lap. He whined as he pawed at Jack’s thigh.

Jack stroked the dog’s head, neck, and shoulders as he sat staring into the empty, ashen hearth and contemplated on what to do. “What do I do now, boy?” he asked his companion. “I don’t have a goddamned clue what just happened to her, much less what I should do now.” He glanced down at Django when he licked his hand and nuzzled it with his cold, wet nose. “Maybe she’ll be better in the mornin’, huh?”

The Border Collie perked his ears up at him and wagged his tail.

“Let’s go take care of her horse, though,” Jack muttered. He petted the dog’s head one more time before he rose from the couch and walked back down the hallway. Django trailed along behind him. He found Gypsy by the corral, where Sundance and Féileacán were standing on the other side of the fence. The three horses pricked their ears and nickered to him as he came up to them. He unsaddled and brushed her out before retiring her to the corral along with the other horses and the herd of cattle. The trio of equines brushed muzzles and nickered warmly. Jack grinned, glad to see their mirth, before he turned and walked back to the house. Before retiring to his bedroom, he checked on Maddie. His happiness was swept away and replaced by despair and worry when he found her in the exact same disposition as he’d left her.

 

*             *             *

 

The next day when he awoke, he hoped his words proved true as he walked into the bedroom. Instinct told him something changed the second he opened the door. Maddie sat up in bed as the door creaked open and he stepped inside. They locked eyes, and a moment of silence wedged between them as they looked each other over. Clearing his throat, Jack stepped closer and gave her a warm smile.

“Good mornin’.”

She stared at him with an apprehensive countenance. Her eyes darted up and down his muscular frame as he took another step.

Jack noticed her weary vigilance over his approach, and he paused in mid-stride and looked her over. “Maddie? You doin’ okay? You feelin’ any better?”

She looked down at the bed sheets and drew them closer to her chin. She sunk underneath the covers like a child seeking protection and fear from some imaginary monster. She didn’t answer him as she laid back down and stared up at the ceiling.

“Maddie? Answer me: are you all right?”

“What kind of question is that?” Anger suddenly enwreathed her, making her exhausted body tense and her brown eyes light up with a rekindled flame.

“I’m just askin’, darlin’,” he answered hastily, holding up his hands in a nonthreatening way. “I just want to make sure—”

“How dare you come in here and ask how I’m doing!” She sat back up and sized him up once more. “What gives you the right to come in here and assume I’m fine? Can you not see me for who I am now?”

“I’m sorry, Madeline. Really, I am.” He extended a hand to her as he stepped closer to her.

She looked at his hand as if it was the vilest thing she’d ever seen. She flicked her gaze up at him and flashed her eyebrows.

When he went to grab her hand in comfort and reassurance, she shrieked and jerked away from his touch.

“Maddie, calm down,” he said. “I’m not gonna hurt you. I just want you to come have breakfast with me. You look hungry and a little ragged.” Again, he tried to intertwine his fingers with hers.

She slapped his hand away and jumped to the farthest side of the bed. She glared at him suspiciously; a flicker of fear and panic danced across her eyes. “How dare you touch me, you bastard! Get out!”

Once more, he reached for her hand. “But Maddie, I was just tryin’ to—”

The second his fingers wrapped around her wrist, she screamed and thrashed like a wild animal. Jack instinctively released his grip and jumped back, scared to see such a sudden and violent reaction. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she sat as far away from him as possible. She brought up her knees and wrapped her arms around them tightly; she sat shaking and staring fearfully up at him. Not knowing what else to do, Jack left the room and ate by himself in the kitchen before going outside for morning chores. He hastily fed and watered the livestock before returning to his parents’ bedroom. Again, he tried to persuade her to get up and be with him, but it was just the same as before.

It was just the same the next day, and the day after that. He would go about his business as swiftly as he could, making sure the animals were taken care of, before he would try to encourage Maddie to get out of bed or eat or talk to him, but every time he got near her, she’d lash out and shriek. At nights, he’d hear her weep down the hallway, and his heart would ache. The duty he felt toward helping her and getting her back to herself was almost incomprehensible to him as he laid in bed staring up at the ceiling and listening to her cry: he was torn between wanting to go to her and comfort her while keeping his distance from her.

On the morning of the third day, he’d had enough. The first thing he did when he awoke—even though he hadn’t hardly slept at all—was pick up the phone that sat on his desk and call the one person he knew would know what to do. Her voice was distant and crackly, and he wondered if he was using this new technology right.

“Hello?” she asked, her voice faint.

“Bonnie?”

“Jack, is that you? Oh, thank God you’re alive! How are things? Are you gettin’ better?”

“Not really. Bonnie, it’s Maddie…she’s…”

“She’s what? Is she there with you? Is she all right?”

“She’s here with me, but…I don’t know what’s happened to her.”

“Tell me everything.”

“She came to my ranch three days ago and tried to kill me.”

“WHAT?!”

“It’s okay, she didn’t. But she’s…She just broke down in front of me. I don’t know what the hell to do.” He sighed and ran a hand over his face. “I don’t know what to do. She won’t eat, she won’t sleep, she won’t talk to me, and every time I try to get close to her, she just freaks out. She won’t do anythin’ but lay in bed.”

“Don’t you worry yourself to death. One way or another, she’ll come around. I’ll be there with the doctor as soon as I can, darlin’. It’ll be a day’s ride, but I’ll get there as soon as possible.”

“Thank you, Bonnie. Let’s just hope she lasts that long. She’s lookin’ pretty bad. I’m just worried she’ll…,” he stifled a sob before finishing, “…she’ll go like Ma did.”

“Have faith, Jack,” she said. “She’ll make it through this. Just be patient and calm, and whatever you do, don’t go near her. I know it hurts to try to think about that, but don’t touch her. Don’t even go into the room unless you think you have to. This is one of those things she’ll have to get through by herself, and I know she will ‘cause she’s one tough woman.”

Jack shook his head and gripped the phone tightly. “I know, Bonnie, but everyone has their breakin’ point at some time in their life. This may just be hers.”

“Jack, don’t say that. Don’t even _think_ it. Just try to calm down. I’m on my way.” Before he could say another word, she had hung up.

His hand hovered in the air long after the call was ended. He hung up the receiver on his desk, turned, and walked out of his room. Django followed him, as usual. He paused in the hallway and looked down at his furry friend.  Man and dog exchanged exhausted, troubled countenances. _Now what do I do?_ he thought. He walked through the living room towards his parent’s bedroom. He paused at the door and raised a hand to push it open, but he hesitated just before his fingertips touched the wood. He bit down on his lower lip in indecision, thinking back to Bonnie’s words. _Oh, to hell with it_ , he thought and gently pushed the door open.

A relieved sigh escaped him at the sight of her sleeping calmly. Her hair, tangled from her days of thrashing and grieving prior to this moment, fanned out across the pillows as if it were a dark halo. For the first time in a long time, she looked at peace, as if nothing had ever happened to her except for a long, sleepless night. He wished she could stay that way, or at least until she got better, but he knew that wouldn’t happen for a long time. Smiling to see her finally at rest, he turned and walked out the room, closing the door silently behind him before he headed outside to do chores.

 

*             *             *

 

Bonnie and the doctor rode onto his property late the next night, their horses’ sides heaving and sweaty. Jack sprinted out the door in his haste to get to Maddie’s saviors. Immediately, he led them to Maddie, who hadn’t woken since Jack last checked on her that afternoon. He was grateful for her insomnia and distress to be over, and so it was with great reluctance that he led them to her and opened the door to his parents’ bedroom. He didn’t follow his guests inside the room out of respect of Bonnie’s advice and to give the doctor and Maddie privacy while he examined her. With nothing else to do besides wait, he went to the living room and sat down on the couch with his dog laying in his lap.

He could hear Bonnie and Maddie talking and sobbing. The doctor occasionally spoke, asking her questions as he checked her injuries over, but otherwise didn’t say much.

“Maddie, oh, my poor dear! Come here, sweet girl! Are you doin’ all right?”

Sobs answered Bonnie’s question.

“Sssshhhhh, sweetheart. It’s all right. You’ll be just fine. I’ll just fix you up some good home-cookin’, wash your clothes, help you get cleaned up and brush your hair, and you’ll be right as rain. You’ll see, hon. You’ll be just fine.”

“But Bonnie, you don’t understand! Do you not realize what’s happened to me, how I was… _deflowered_ and _beaten_ like some whore in a saloon?! What will be my fate the day I choose to marry? No man would take me after what’s been done to me!”

There was a brief silence in the room. Jack raised his head and strained his ears. Maddie sniffled and sighed.

“Madeline,” Bonnie began with a warm, motherly tone, “listen to me. What happened to you wasn’t your fault, and to me, you’re still the pure and beautiful woman I’ve always known. And just so you know, there’s a man just outside this door that would have you no matter what’s happened to you. You know he’d do anythin’ for you, honey. Give him a second chance. Hell, he’s been takin’ care of you.”

“Yes, but if it weren’t for him lyin’ to me all those months ago and then denyin’ me when I wanted him the most, I wouldn’t be in this position.”

“ _Don’t_ blame him for what happened to you!” Bonnie boomed, and a powerful silence echoed within the entire house. “What happened to you was a horrible accident, and nobody but that Jackson Randall fellow—who’s now dead thanks to Jack—is to blame. Maddie, listen to me: push aside your hurt and anger for that young man out there and help him understand what’s goin’ on with you. _Let him help you._ You know he loves you; you know he’d take a bullet for you.”

“And I would’ve done the same for him…but now…” Maddie trailed off, leaving her sentence incomplete and Jack pining for the rest.

“None of that matters now,” Bonnie murmured. In-between Maddie’s sniffles and quiet sobs, she said, “Maddie, he’s hurtin’ just as much as you are. You and him are both so right for each other. You two _need_ each other _so much_ right now. I know this won’t be easy, and I’m not askin’ it to be for you, but you’ve _gotta_ forgive him. You’re gonna have to work it out somehow, and it’s up to you two to figure out how to do that. For both your sakes, I trust you will make the right choice and forgive him.”

“He killed my uncle, Bonnie!”

“But he also _saved your life_. There are worse things that could’ve happened to you. You’re lucky that he got to you in time.”

Maddie was silent for a time. Five minutes passed until the silence was broken by the doctor.

“She’ll be fine, Miss MacFarlane. I’ve done what I can for her bruises and cuts; they’re healing up just fine, thankfully. Time and rest will heal those wounds, but I’m afraid much more needs to be done with her other, more personal injuries.”

“I know, doc. Thank you.”

The door opened, and the doctor walked out. Jack stood up the second he saw the man, and he walked up to him and waited for a report.

The man laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. “She’ll be fine. Just feed that poor girl and keep her comfortable. I’m gonna go wash up.” With that, he turned and headed into the kitchen.

Jack watched him go until he disappeared behind a door. He turned back to the door to his parent’s bedroom, and his hand hovered in front of the doorknob. He bit his lip and sighed with indecision, wary to step through the threshold and, in all probability, anger Maddie and upset her further.

Footsteps approached the door. Jack flinched and retreated back to the living room just as it opened and Bonnie emerged. Without looking at him, she walked into the kitchen with haste. Blinking, Jack followed her.

The doctor was just finishing up washing his hands just as Bonnie entered the room; they exchanged nods before he left and retired to the living room while she stayed behind and began preparing soup for her beloved adopted daughter. Jack lingered at the doorway, unsure whether or not to let his presence be known.

Bonnie chuckled and looked over her shoulder at him. “You gonna help or just stand there and watch, Mister Marston?”

“Oh,” he said and rolled up his sleeves. He joined her beside the table and helped her chop vegetables and prepare the broth. As they worked, Bonnie kept looking over at him and studying him with a strange countenance. She flicked her attention back to the task at hand whenever Jack looked back at her. After the third time, he became fed up with it and straightened up from his bend position.

“Alright, what is it? Tell me what I’m doin’ wrong here. I know when something’s botherin’ you, Bonnie.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “Just ‘cause I can’t cook like you don’t mean you have to patronize me.”

She laughed. “I’m not pokin’ fun at your cookin’ skills, Jack. I’m merely worried for you is all.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t get your feathers in a bunch.”

He hardened his gaze once more. “And for your information, I can cook.”

She raised her eyebrows and smirked. “Oh, you can now, huh?”

He nodded and lifted his chin. “Ma taught me after Pa died. It was almost like she was teachin’ me how to take care of myself before…,” his gaze drooped, and his shoulders sagged, “…before she died.” He sighed and shook his head. “And I’ve tried gettin’ Maddie to eat, Miss MacFarlane. I really have, but she just won’t do it. Like I said to you a couple days ago, she won’t eat, and she won’t even look at me or talk to me. She just hates me for even tryin’, Bonnie. I…I don’t know what to do.”

“I talked to her, Jack. I told her to give you a chance.”

He frowned deeply and refused to comment.

“But you heard every word, didn’t you?”

His frown deepened, and he looked away. “Sorry.”

Bonnie chuckled. “It’s fine, Jack. I understand. You want to help her in any way. Well, let me tell you how.”

“Don’t piss her off?”

She laughed. “Well, that. But listen to me.” Her humor faded into a serious tone as she advised, “Just let her do what she wants to do. If she wants to clean, let her clean. If she wants to shoot her guns at some cans or somethin’, let her shoot. If she wants to help you out with chores or whatever, let her. But make sure you’re there for her. Let her know you care. And don’t touch her unless she allows you to; she might not come to trust you fully, Jack, so be aware of that. I know you love her more than anything, but I don’t think touchin’ her, much less kissin’ her, would be a good idea for right now. In time, that could very well happen, but for right now, don’t try any of that.”

“Anything else I should know?”

“Yes. She’ll be emotional. You gotta let her rage, or cry, or whatever. Just know she’s goin’ through a tough time, and it’s up to her to fight through this and reclaim herself. Be patient with her, Jack, and continue to love and support her. When I leave, she’ll have you to fall back on, so hold her up and keep her on her feet. Otherwise, she’ll never get back up to speed.”

By that time, the soup was ready. Without another word, Bonnie poured it into a bowl, fetched a spoon, and left to give Maddie her first meal in days. Jack lingered behind and leaned against the kitchen counter, letting her words sink in deep into his head. He ran a hand over his face, overwhelmed.

 _I just hope this all works out_ , he thought. He scratched at his mustache and stared down at the floor with a twisted frown upon his lips. _I just hope she can make it through all this. God, if anything happens to her, then…_ He lifted his gaze up to the ceiling and was blinded momentarily by the new electric light. He blinked away the pain behind his pupils. _If anything happens to her, then I’m done. It’s over for me. If she goes, then I’ll go, and that’ll be the end of it._

A flame of determination slowly settled into his chest, solidifying his belief in himself and the hope of seeing Maddie restored some day. _But that won’t happen. I’ve failed my parents and this ranch too many times to count, but I’ll be damned if I fail Maddie. But I won’t EVER let her fall again. I’ll help her. I’ll raise her back up to the beautiful woman she once was, and much more._ The love he felt for her burst forth once again, overflowing his soul and adding to the fire of tenacity. _I WILL NOT fail her._


	33. Labored and Lost

**Chapter Track** : “When Love & Hate Collide” – Def Leppard

 

Two days later, Jack, Bonnie, and the MacFarlane ranch doctor reluctantly said their goodbyes in front of the house. The doctor and his boss did all they could to help Maddie kick-start her way to recovery: while the doctor regularly changed and cleaned her bandages and gave her morphine to ease the pain, Bonnie kept her best friend as comfortable and pampered as she could by helping her bathe and brush out her long hair that become so tangled that she had to trim an inch off the ends. She helped clean her clothes, as well as some old dresses of Abigail’s that Jack had given to Maddie, since she had but one pair of clothing at the ranch. Such heartfelt feminine companionship brightened Maddie’s spirit and helped drag her out of the dark abyss within herself; it was Bonnie’s compassion and endless affection that brought her back up to the surface and helped soothe her pain.

The doctor went to go saddle their horses while Bonnie and Jack embraced in front of the front porch steps.

“Take care of yourself and Maddie. I hope all goes well for you two. You know where I’ll be if you need my help.”

Jack hugged her fiercely and nodded against her shoulder. “I will. I can’t thank you and the doctor for all that you’ve done. With any luck, Maddie will be just how she was before all this happened.”

“I do what I can for my family,” she said sweetly. She kissed his cheek as they stepped away from each other.

Once again, Jack watched as Bonnie and her companion rode away and out of his sight. This time, however, he felt hope he never thought could be rekindled after such a strenuous four days. Breathing in the crisp morning air, he turned and went to the barn to feed and water his livestock. Somehow, he caught himself whistling a familiar tune, and with a gasp he recalled it was the song he’d heard Maddie sing the day he found her bathing. Memories stirred, emotions flared, and he couldn’t stop thinking about her and that day. As he went about his chores, he couldn’t help but think, _Maybe there is some hope after all. I mean, maybe someday things’ll be back to where they were before I hurt her. I can only pray she’ll forgive me…_

When he went inside for a quick lunch, he nearly tripped over his boots when he came into the kitchen and found Maddie was standing over the stove cooking what looked like some sort of stew. Her back was to him, but from what he could tell, things had started to change. He felt mixed emotions when he looked her over and realized she was wearing one of his mother’s old dresses; she had pulled her hair up into a similar manner the way Abigail used to. The sight of her resembling his mother so much nearly made his heart stop, but he was relieved to find her up and around instead of moping in bed. _Maybe she’s feelin’ better already_ , he thought with a hopeful grin as he stepped into the room, his boots thudding loudly on the wooden floor.

At the sound of footfalls, Maddie jumped and whirled around. The cup of coffee she held in her hands spilled and ran down her hand, staining the sleeve of her dress. When she looked down at herself, she noticed that some of her drink had spilled onto the floor. “Goddamn it,” she moaned and, grabbing a nearby towel off the kitchen counter, she bent down and hastily wiped up her mess.

“Sorry I startled you,” Jack said with a sheepish grin. He stepped closer to her, hoping to help clean up.

The venomous countenance she gave him made him instantly rethink his action, and he backed away quickly. She reminded him of an angry rattler ready to strike. Without saying another word, he turned and left the room. He decided it best to skip out on lunch and to continue his repairs outside on the house.

 

*             *             *

 

The next day proved more fruitful and productive than the last. To his amazement, he found her in the kitchen the next morning making breakfast. The smell of sausage and biscuits made his stomach roar; the intoxicating aroma of freshly-brewed coffee blended well with the scents of the morning meal.

Without saying a word, she and Jack ate breakfast in silence. He studied her carefully from across the kitchen table: there were bags under her eyes from the temporary insomnia she’d had just days ago, but her eyes held a small spark of what stubbornness and pride she once had—it shown through very weakly through the veil of shame, fear, and depression.

When the meal was consumed, Maddie immediately scooped up the dirty dishes and washed them. The silence still lingered heavily between them; she wasn’t exactly ignoring his presence, nor was she acknowledging it. With her back turned to him, she concentrated on cleaning the plates, skillet, and silverware.

Jack rose from the table and watched her carefully as he slowly approached her. He stopped five feet from her. “So…um…. You feel any better?”

She looked back at him over her shoulder with a blank stare. She nodded slowly before returning to her work. The silverware clinked and the water sloshed in the sink loudly, filling the silence between them.

“You mind me askin’ if you’ll come help with chores today?” he asked tenderly. “It’s all right if you don’t want to.”

“Give me a minute to finish up in here, then I’ll join you outside.”

He smiled brightly. “Yes, ma’am.”

Just as she said, she walked out into the morning sun and joined him in the barn, still in his mother’s dress. Despite her attire, she helped him pitch hay and pump water for the cattle and horses. She even brushed out her two mares while Jack tended to his stallion. However, the second chores were finished, Maddie swiftly retired to the house. Hurt and offended, Jack watched her walk away with a sad shake of his head and a heavy sigh. _Still, it’s progress at least_ , he thought. _At least she’s doin’ something with me instead of completely avoidin’ me._ He looked down at Django: the dog hadn’t left his side the entire time he and Maddie were doing chores. He patted the pup’s head and smiled fondly at him. “At least I’ve got you out here, huh, boy?”

The dog barked cheerfully up at him and wagged his tail, his ears perked and his brown eyes shining with adoration up at his master.

“C’mon, let’s get back to work on the house.” He continued where he’d left off the other day on the siding. He’d finished with the porch last night and had started on the south side of the building, and he was determined to make considerable progress that day.

Still, the loneliness he felt and the ache that clutched at his chest bothered him; he wished Maddie were out there with him, but he knew better than to risk pushing her limits. As he concentrated on losing himself in his work, the ache dulled and his sadness was temporarily forgotten. Beside him, his furry companion sat down and watched him as he began to pant from the increasing heat of the summer sun.

*             *             *

 

Another week passed, and Maddie made more progress. She kept herself busy by cleaning the house while Jack put the finishing touches on the outside of the house. Jack was more than happy to see her out and about more, rather than just doing chores and then be done with the day. He found himself smirking every time he saw her through the windows; often, he caught himself watching her go about cleaning. His mirth was increased whenever he heard her singing, and he couldn’t have been more hopeful than what he now was.

A third week passed; the house was completely restored to its original grandeur. Jack turned his attention toward the barn; he was surprised when Maddie joined him. She had changed back into her old bounty hunting outfit but had left her duster in the house. Her hair was pulled back into a braid, and her hat had returned to her head. He looked her over with a fluttering heart, enjoying the nice change.

He smiled at her and greeted, “Evenin’, Miss Ross.”

She hesitantly locked eyes with him. “You, uh…You need a hand, Marston?”

“Yeah, um…Sure. I was just about to start on the corral…”

She stepped closer to him and the pile of freshly-cut boards. Together, they tore off the old rotting boards off the fence posts, section by section as the livestock was still in the fence. Maddie helped hold up the boards against the fence posts while Jack hammed them into place on the inside of the corral. For a long while, they worked in silence; the bellowing of cattle and the blowing of horses served as their background noise…until Jack couldn’t stand it any longer.

“So, uh…What got you wantin’ to come out here and help me?” he inquired gently as she lifted a freshly-cut board. Maddie held it in place as he hammered a couple nails into the fence post.

She remained quiet for a time before answering, “Well, I’m tired of stayin’ in that house. I’m tired of playin’ housewife while you’re out here doin’ all the hard work. So, I figured I’d get my ass out here and help.”

“I appreciate it, Madeline. I really do. Fixin’ fence requires two sets of hands, as I’m sure you know.”

“I’ve had to help build my fair share of fences and corrals back at Bonnie’s.” She looked to the side reflectively and frowned. “I wonder how she’s doin’.”

“You wanna call her? You can go do it right now if you want.”

She looked as though she was considering it, but she shook her head and held up the next board for him to nail.

“You sure? This fence can wait while you—”

“No, damn it!” She nodded down to the fence in front of them. “Let’s get this job done before sundown.”

Jack complied without another word. For hours on end, they labored on the fence. Occasionally, Jack had to uproot and replace several rotten fence posts, but by the time dusk had begun to settle around them, the corral was finished. Exhausted but happy with their progress, they walked out through the new gate and stood back panting as they admired their handy work.

Jack scoffed and shook his head as he felt a sense of déjà vu. He put his hands on his hips and chuckled.

Maddie looked over at him as she took off her hat to wipe the sweat off her brow. She scrunched her brow at him. “What’s so funny?”

He looked at her and chortled, “You remember my first day on the job at Bonnie’s, back when I was just some lousy criminal?” He gestured to the fence before them and the livestock in it “Well, look what we just got done doin’. Kinda ironic, isn’t it?”

A warm grin spread across Maddie’s lips as her eyes glazed over in reminiscence. She set her hat back on her head. “Indeed. It’s funny how history repeats itself.”

“You remember how we wanted to kill each other back then?” he asked softly as he turned and faced her. The sweat around her face and neck glistened as the fading sunlight glanced off it.

“Not much has changed,” she said with a sudden dark overtone as she turned and faced him as well. Her eyebrows narrowed.

He looked her over with his mouth agape and blinked rapidly. “Maddie…” It took him a moment to get over her harsh words and find his voice. “Things _have_ changed. You and I both know it. I mean, sure, judgin’ by where we’re standin’ and the place we’re livin’ at, it doesn’t give us much room to believe that. But still…how can you say that when you know it’s not true?”

“Because people don’t really change, Jack, no matter how hard life tries to sway them. Some things you can’t just easily forgive and forget.” Her hands clenched into fists by her sides.

“Madeline, darlin’,” he began as he stepped closer to her and offered a hand to her, “I’m sorry for what happened to you, I am, but…you gotta get past all that.” He went to take her hand in his, even though it was a fist.

Maddie took a step back. “How can you tell me that? What makes you any better than me at learnin’ how to get over such a tragic event? What power or knowledge do you have that I don’t, Jack? Can you not see that I’ve been _struggling_ to get past it?” She gestured wildly around her. “This ranch may be just a ranch to you, but it’s been my sanctuary for the past three weeks! I’ve been doin’ my best to keep myself busy and workin’ hard, but I’m STILL plagued by the memory of my defilement _every single night._ I can barely get enough sleep as it is: my dreams are _fraught_ with the image of that vile man molesting me! And the _anger_ and _shame_ I feel towards that is enough to drive me to madness! I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up before it all goes to hell and I crumple once more at your feet!”

He stood before her in slack-jacked shock. “I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with this, but if you’ll just let me help you—”

“Help me?” she exclaimed. _“Help me?!”_ She threw back her head and cackled facetiously. Looking back at him, she shook her head and said with a twisted smile, “ _No one_ can help me. I don’t understand why you’re still tryin’ to help me, Jack.” Her eyes softened into curiosity and wonder at him. Her clenched hands relaxed. “Why do you even try, Jack?” she whispered. “Why waste your time on someone who’s too broken to repair?”

Jack approached her softly. He stood inches in front of her and gingerly took her hands in his. “Why else would I want to help the one person who’s changed me for the better? _You’re_ the reason I’m here, Maddie. _You’re_ the reason why I’m a brand-new man. It’s only fair I return the favor by helpin’ you in any way I can. I’ve never been able to tell you all this, because, frankly, I’ve been too much of a chicken-shit to tell you. But, I’m finally man enough to say this to you: _I love you_ , Madeline Ross, and I’ll do _everything_ I can to get you back, if you’ll have me.”

She stared up at him, her mouth slightly open and her eyes wide. Her hands began to shake within his.

Jack gripped her hands tighter to calm her shaking.  He felt his well of love for her overflow within his chest and consume his body with a feverish glow. Though he knew better than to test her boundaries so suddenly, he stepped closer to her and lowered his face closer to hers. He searched her eyes incessantly, yearning to find the love he felt for her mirrored in her gaze. He caught glimpses of it in-between her blinking it away, but he knew it was there…. somewhere.

“Say somethin’,” he whispered.

She opened her mouth, but the words halted in her throat.

Against his better judgment, Jack grew impatient and kissed her softly. His right hand drifted up to cup the left side of her face as he kissed her slowly at first. When she didn’t shy away, his confidence grew, and he kissed her more urgently, passionately.

Maddie abruptly pulled away and took a step back. Tears of confusion and outrage welled in her eyes. Then she slapped him hard across the face. “I do not love you, Jack Marston. Not anymore.”

She turned sharply on her heel and left him standing alone and hurt while she hastily retreated to the house.


	34. Torn

**Chapter Track** : “If I Were A Boy” – Reba McEntire

 

Maddie jammed the bullets into the magazine, shoved it into the butt of her pistol, and pulled the toggle up on with an angry flick of her wrist. The second she’d turned and walked away from Jack, all she could think about was shooting her gun…maybe not at him per say, but at something to release the anger and the raw emotions that refused to wither away back down deep inside her. The second his lips touched hers, something stirred within her, a twinging in her heart and a flutter in her stomach as something that was irrevocably and abruptly cut short had suddenly come back to life. All the hate and betrayal she felt for him, all the worst thoughts and feelings she’d had for him, suddenly were weakened by one simple kiss.

 _It still doesn’t change things_ , she thought adamantly as she raised her arm and aimed her sights on a rotting fence post. She stood near the gazebo and the horseshoe ring. _If he thinks I feel the same for him, he’s sadly mistaken._ Taking a sharp breath, she tugged back on the trigger and shot off all eight rounds in the magazine. She kept squeezing the trigger until it clicked harmlessly.

“Son of a bitch!” she snapped and jammed her gun down into its holster. Still blazing with anger and outrage at what Jack had reawakened in her, she drew her left pistol and emptied the magazine in the post, causing such a ruckus that the birds and other nearby wildlife cried out and fled in terror. _These bullets should be for him_. She holstered her other pistol and stood glaring at the bullet-ridden fence post. All sixteen shots had met their mark. She grinned maliciously. _I’ve still got it_.

Whinnies and bellows of fright snagged her attention, and she turned around and saw the cattle and horses in the corral trotting and loping about their confines in fear.

“Oh, you _fool!_ ” she berated herself and shook her head. She jogged up to the corral and stepped inside, being sure she stayed clear of the cattle as they ran by. She made her way to the horses, with her arms outstretched, slowed them to a stop. She petted them all and assuaged them with soft words and calming apologies. Soon, the cattle eased down to a walk and eventually settled back down as well. When at last the livestock was quiet, she left the corral and walked back to the gazebo. She sat down and rested an elbow on the table. She sighed as she took her hat off and ran her fingers through her hair.

 _What do I do now? He said he loved me, but that doesn’t justify what he did in the past. Why do I stay? What keeps me rooted here?_ She shook her head and buried her face in her hands. A deep, shaky sigh burst out of her as tears swelled in her eyes and threatened to trickle down her cheeks. She refused to let them fall, though, as she toughened up and slapped her hat back onto her head.

She stared out into the wilderness that flanked Beecher’s Hope, struggling to comprehend her reasons for staying and why she couldn’t just shoot him at any given moment. The thought had crossed her mind on countless occasions; there wasn’t a day that had gone by that she didn’t think of putting a bullet in his brain.

But there was something that kept her gun at bay.

 _But what is it?!_ She leapt to her feet and paced around the gazebo, her boots clunking loudly on the floorboards. Her gaze pierced the floor and her hands rested on her hips as she circled around and around. Her mind was in a whirl of jumbled memories, thoughts, theories, and questions, but it was all an absolute mess. She thought back to the day she met him. _What was it about that grungy bastard behind bars? What made him so damn special that day, and the days after?_ She recalled there was something in the way he looked at her with the most sorrowful and penetrating brown eyes. All the sadness, betrayal, anger, and rebellion she’d seen in every outlaw’s eyes she’d brought in was there in his…but he was different.

 _Why, though? There wasn’t anything special about him back then, not even now…_ She came to a stop and rested her hands on the railing as she stared out at the red pines and brambles of Tall Trees. Off in the distance, a small herd of elk grazed. Squirrels, rabbits, and other smaller creatures scurried about. Life out there seemed so simple: eat and survive. _If only my life was so simple…_ She looked down at her hands that gripped the railing like an eagle’s claws to a branch. _I’m barely surviving even now..._ She turned her gaze back to the wilderness and sighed. _I used to be so strong, so sure of myself. Back then, I was surviving. And now, look at me. I’m back to being helpless like I was right after Mama died. I’m back to pathetic and frail…Maybe I never really changed? Maybe all this time, I’ve always been so breakable and weak inside?_ Pity at herself and her hypocritical ways made her bow her head and sigh in shame. _Look at all the good it’s done me to act like a man. But if I were a boy, I think I would understand how it feels to love a girl. Hell, I’d be a better man because of it. I’d listen to her and I’d be there for her; I’d never hurt her the way Jack hurt me._ She scoffed aloud and shook her head as she glared out at the world around her _. To hell with waitin’ and hopin’ for things to change; to hell with us._ She gripped the railing tighter. _But you're just a boy…you don't understand. You never will…_

She laughed out loud as she thought sarcastically, _God, how do they do it? How do they go about their lives actin’ as if nothin’ could break them? Father sure as hell had his breakin’ point, but Jack...I’ve never seen a man so unbelievably strong as him. If so much hurt has happened, how is he still carryin’ on? Why does he not show or speak of it if it all happened the way he said it did? Hell, I’ve tried carryin’ on after Mama’s death, but now that Uncle Edgar’s been gone for a year and I’m livin’ with the man responsible for his death and of my sorrow, what does that make me? I am stuck here for no goddamned reason, and yet I can’t cowgirl up and just ride away. Fuck, I can’t even bring my sights on him and pull the trigger! If I were a better woman, a **stronger** woman, it would be just so easy to kill him and be done with it! So why am I struggling? I’ve killed so many goddamned men, and yet I can’t kill this betraying fucker!_

“GODDAMN IT ALL!” she shouted as she threw up her hands into the air, clenched them into fists, and slammed them back down onto the railing. Her anger refused to let her feel the full flare of pain in her hands or the splinter that she received in her right pinkie finger, even as a bead of blood grew and trickled down her knuckle. The tears she’d held at bay somehow battled their way past her defenses, escaped down her face, and splashed onto the railing and her hands. She wept quietly as she looked out at Tall Trees, her eyes searching for the answers she knew were far from her reach. She sniffed loudly and stood gripping the railing so hard her knuckles turned white and her arms shook.

 _Why is this all so hard? Why is there no answer here when I need it the most?_ A despairing sob escaped her mouth as she tilted her head to the night sky. The tears slid down the sides of her face as she looked up desperately at the dark abyss above her and the thousands of twinkling stars that seemed to mock her with their happiness. _Oh, Mama, how I wish you were here! You’d know what to do._ The tears fell faster and thicker as she bowed her head and buried her face in her right hand, her left still clutching the rail. _But you’re gone, and so is Uncle Edgar…Everyone I know goes away in the end._

She sat back down and stared out solemnly all around her, crying softly and falling deeper and deeper into a depression the likes of which she hadn’t known or felt since the days after her mother died and her father turned to drink. She looked over her shoulder when the electric lights flicked on in the kitchen. She watched Jack as he went about cooking supper. For a long while, she found herself staring at him and thinking about what he’d said and done. She recalled once more how she felt when he kissed her, and once again, her heart began to flutter in her chest. That same withered thing she’d kept subdued down inside her blinked and made its presence known the second she thought about what he’d said to her.

I love you _, Madeline Ross, and I’ll do_ everything _I can to get you back, if you’ll have me._

Maddie frowned as the line repeated itself over and over again in her head.

The withered thing inside her began to bloom once more.

 

*             *             *

 

The weeks passed achingly slow; May came and went, and June took its place with a vengeance. The heat of summer burst into full bloom. The cattle and horses had grazed down the knee-high grass in the corral down to little nibs and were pining for the prairie grass that stood beyond their reach. Django had begun to mature into a young adult; his muscles were beginning to build up as he started chasing coyotes and other wildlife away from the cattle and off the property, though he didn’t dare face off with any of the cougars or wolves that scoured the land nearby. Jack took care of the larger predators: once, a male cougar tried to pick off a cow in the corral, but Jack quickly shot him down, skinned him, and sold the meat and fur to the general store in Manzanita Post for a fair price.

The house held an almost unbearable tension as things went from bad to worse between Maddie and Jack. Ever since his bold and stupid move, Maddie averted him like the plague. She became more aggressive, and he often found her outside target practicing. When she wasn’t shooting her anger away, she kept herself busy with keeping the house as tidy as possible without making much conversation with him, of course. At least twice a week, she took her mares out for a run around the property; she never once strayed from Beecher’s Hope, to Jack’s amazement and relief, and she always looked so at peace while she rode her prized horses. Other times, she’d sit out on the gazebo glaring off into Tall Trees for hours on end in silence. She was no doubt a ticking time bomb that was waiting for the perfect moment to explode.

Whenever Jack tried to speak to her, the conversation always went sour, and she’d either storm off in rage or in tears, always retreating to his parents’ bedroom and slamming the door behind her. Jack would watch her stomp away, his mind still trying to get ahold of the conversation while trying to figure out he’d said or done to ruin it. When all else failed, there was always repairs to be done, wood to chop for the winter, animals to take care of, his dog to play fetch with and roughhouse, and tend to the small crop he’d recently planted. The corn he’d planted and cared for since its inception quickly took root and sprung up from the stubborn ground he’d tilled and slaved over; the potato plants and bean stalks also made their presence known. Jack was happy to see his efforts were paying off. Still, he was nowhere near finishing the repairs on the barn and silo, and since the livestock needed something else to graze on beside the stubs of grass in the corral and the bales of hay he pitched to them, he knew he’d have to start fixing up the fence around his property.

So one day, despite his fear of another argument brewing, he faced Maddie with his face set in a determined frown and a backbone of steel to back himself up. He stalked the house in search for her and found her instead outside in the corral. He strolled up to her, his hands clenched into fists at his sides and his jaw set _._ She was standing in the smaller pen adjacent to the hitching post and water trough alongside Sundance, Gypsy, and Féileacán, petting each of them in turn and murmuring sweet nothings to the beautiful creatures. As he approached her, she turned and faced him for the first time that day.

“What do you want?” she asked, irritated at him for ruining her peace.

Still undeterred, Jack rested his hands on his hips and looked her in the eyes. “Look, I know we haven’t been on the best of terms, and I’m sorry for screwin’ that up, but I need your help if I’m gonna get the rest of this place back in shape. A blind man can see these animals need a good pasture to graze in, and since my land’s got plenty of grass for them to live off of for a while, I figured we should get the fence fixed as fast as possible, and you know I can’t do it by myself.”

She blinked slowly, looking as if he was wasting her time. “Go on.”

“Look, I don’t care what you think of me right now. I don’t care that you’re still pissed at me and wantin’ to shoot me dead, but since you’re still here on my ranch, I could use your help to finish all this work. All I’m askin’ is for you to just for once push aside your hatred of me and just help me out. If you wanna leave and go back to Bonnie’s, that’s fine, but please wait until we’ve finished fixin’ up this place. Then you’re free to go the moment we’re done. Alright?”

She looked back at the horses and petted their muzzles and forelocks.

“So, will you help me?”

She turned back to him and nodded curtly. “Alright, Marston, you’ve got a deal. But just know the second we’re done here, I’m gone, and you’ll never see me here again.”

Despite the devastating hole being ripped into his chest, Jack nodded in agreement. He didn’t trust his voice for fear of it cracking because of the painful answer she gave him, so he nodded resolutely, turned, and set off towards the supply wagon on the other side of the barn where all the timber and nails were stored. He looked over his shoulder and smirked grimly as Maddie hopped over the fence and followed him at a brisk trot.

 

*             *             *

 

“Christ, can it get any fuckin’ hotter?” Maddie grumbled as she hoisted up a board and held it against the two fence posts. Sweat trickled out from under the brim of her hat and down the side of her face.

“C’mon, Maddie, we’ve been through worse weather,” Jack said with a roll of his eyes as he began hammering the board into the left fence post. It couldn’t be helped that he stood so close to her as he worked; nevertheless, he did his best not to let his elbow brush her arm as he hammered away. He blinked away the sweat that had dripped into his eyes and panted under the heat of the summer sun. It was just after two o’clock, but it felt like they’d been working for a week straight. As he finished with the left post and walked around her to start on the right, Jack shook his head and murmured, “Besides, we just started on this fence this mornin’. You knew this wasn’t gonna be easy.”

Maddie shot him a warning look. “I know, damn it! I’m just sayin’ it’s hotter than the hubs of hell out here and it’s not even the middle of June yet!” She tucked her face down into the crook of her elbow to wipe the sweat off her face before bringing her head back up. She watched Jack hammer the nails in with a countenance that would make a child quiver with fear.

“It’s not that hot,” Jack argued as he finished with the board and walked on down the fence line to the next section of fence. He’d spent all morning uprooting the first twenty fence posts on the south side beside the road that ran through his property while Maddie prepared the boards and posts in the barn. He was used to being in the dry Texas heat; therefore, he didn’t think it was unbearable.

“I’ll be the judge of that, mister,” Maddie shot back as she walked back to the supply wagon beside the road and the entrance to Beecher’s Hope. Sundance and Gypsy stood hitched to the wagon, their ears pinned back and their heads held low. Grabbing three fence boards, Maddie hefted them up into her arms and carried them back to where Jack stood waiting. “I’m comin’, I’m comin’,” she grumbled as she set the boards down beside the fence post and picked one up. She held it against the top of the post, lining it up with the other boards on both sides of her, before Jack pounded the nails in.

“Ya know, it’s not gonna get any cooler if you keep whinin’ about it, Maddie,” he griped as he walked around her and nailed the other side.

She gave him a death glare and hissed, “Watch it, boy. I’m helpin’ you, aren’t I?”

“Well, yeah, but—”

“Then shut it and keep workin’.”

Despite feeling the need to shoot back a snappy comment, Jack knew better, so he bowed his head and begrudgingly said, “Yes, ma’am.”

This seemed to please Maddie, and for a long time after, even as they slaved away under the hot sun, she was silent and looked upon him with less irritation and hatred. Jack grinned internally, seeing the small but hopeful progress he’d made in making her feel better after his mess-up weeks ago.

 

*             *             *

 

It took them a week to fix the fence around the property; most of the boards and fence posts were starting to rot away, and so it took them twice as long as they uprooted the posts, put in new ones, and nail new boards into them. Although it was a dry heat, it still taxed their bodies and spirits. By the end of the day, Jack and Maddie were exhausted and beyond irritated. Often, they ate supper together in silence before retiring to their separate rooms. Only when they were about to shut the door did Jack break the silence and bid her good night. At first, she didn’t respond, but as the days passed and their work in the fence neared to an end, she’d smirk and answer in kind before closing the door.

The morning after they’d finished the fence around the property and put up gates at the entrances, Jack and Maddie ate a quick breakfast before rushing out to the barn. After pumping water for the livestock, they opened the corral gates and herded the animals out into the fence that surrounded Beecher’s Hope. Standing side by side in the empty corral, they watched as the cattle and horses walked around and explored for a bit before eagerly taking to the tall prairie grass that surrounded the ranch. In the morning light, with the sun shining overhead and not quite boiling the world yet, and the songbirds singing and flying overhead, it was a peaceful and successful moment to behold. Their hard work had paid off.

“It’s about damn time they got to enjoy some grass for a change instead of hay,” Maddie said with a happy trill to her voice. A smile graced her lips as she walked up to her mares. She petted them rigorously along their backs and necks. The horses acknowledged her presence with a flick of their ears and a brief nuzzling with their noses to her arms before going back to grazing. They swatted and stomped at the flies, and for a time, that was the only sound besides the horses munching that Jack and Maddie heard.

Jack walked up to his palomino stallion and rested his hand on his wither. The stallion looked at him out of the corner of his eye but otherwise didn’t pay attention to him as he grazed. Jack looked out at the cattle that took to the grass with a vengeance; the cows and the bull had spread out across his property. He felt proud seeing his livestock well-fed and taken care of.

His mirth faded slightly as he turned back and looked at the barn and silo; both were still in terrible shape. He sighed and let his shoulders sag as he studied them carefully and decided what needed to be done first.

“You wantin’ to get back to work, then?”

Jack blinked and looked back over his shoulder at Maddie as she walked up to him. She nodded at the barn and silo and put her hands on her hips.

“Well?”

“Well what?”

“We ain’t got all summer to get things finished up around here, Marston.” She turned and headed for the supply wagon beside the barn. She waved him after her and said over her shoulder, “C’mon, before it starts to get hot.”

Surprised but also saddened by her eagerness to get back to work, Jack followed her. They stood before the barn and looked it over, craning their heads back to get a good look up and down the building as they began their assessment.

“We should check out the frame first,” Maddie suggested. “No doubt it’ll start leanin’ to one side before long. We should fix up the interior of the barn before we start on the outside.” She looked over at him. “What do you think?”

Jack blinked and stared down at her.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “What?”

“N-Nothing. Just…surprised is all.”

“At?”

He hesitated to answer. “At how fast you wanna get this all done and get outta here.”

She looked away, looking almost guilty. She tugged her hat down lower over her face to conceal it from him.

“That’s it, isn’t it?” he asked as he turned and faced her. “You wanna hurry up and get done with everything so you can leave.”

Her lips were the only thing visible to him underneath her hat as she tucked her chin into her collarbone. She frowned deeply.

“You don’t have to be ashamed of admittin’ it, Maddie. I get it. You wanna get as far away from me as soon as possible. I understand.”

She lifted her chin slightly and looked away. She cleared her throat, walked up to the double doors of the barn, and pulled them open. She looked at him over her shoulder. “Come on, let’s get to work.”


	35. Truth

**Chapter Track** : “Love/Hate Heartbreak” – Halestorm

 

Maddie and Jack spent the next week relentlessly repairing the barn. It took them far longer than they expected to reinforce the interior and fix up the stalls as well as the work benches. Maddie worked at an almost tireless gait, hardly stopping for breaks when Jack did. Other than speaking about their work and what needed to be done next, they hardly made friendly conversation. Not once did Jack try to make her reconsider; not once did he speak his opinion on the matter. Instead, he kept his thoughts and yearnings to himself and refused to let any emotion show past his scowling mask of masculinity.

After another week of it, he’d had enough. After they called it night, Maddie turned and started walking inside to start on supper while he snuck away to his horse, led him to the barn, and saddled him up.

“Where do you think _you’re_ going?”

Jack flinched and turned around. He cringed as he locked eyes with Maddie, who stood in the barn doorway with her arms crossed and her chin tucked. She flashed her eyebrows and waited for an answer.

He swallowed thickly as he turned back to his horse and finished with the back cinch. “Headin’ to Blackwater.”

“Why?”

“I need a drink.” He bit down on his lip afterwards, feeling bad for speaking his mind. He glanced back at her when he heard her boots crunching on the hard dirt towards him.

Her jaw dropped as she came to stand beside him. “And just what the hell for?” Her eyes searched his. Realization set in; her eyebrows rose and she drew back her head in offense. “It’s because of me, isn’t it?”

He opened his mouth to answer but then clamped it shut when he didn’t know how to respond, so he walked around her and led his horse out in front of the barn. Maddie followed, right in step behind him. Before he could jam his boot in the stirrup and reach for the cantle and saddle horn, she grabbed his right arm and yanked him away from his horse.

“What the hell are you doin’, Jack?” she demanded. “Why are you leavin’ me?”

“I’m not leavin’ you, Maddie. I just need—”

“To get away from me?”

“No, I just need to get out for a change. I haven’t left this ranch for about two and a half months, and me and my horse could use a good ride. That’s all.”

Her eyebrows narrowed. “Liar.”

He clenched his jaw and refused to say anything.

“So while you’re out “riding”, what the fuck am I supposed to do?” Her grip on his arm tightened and she stared warily up into his eyes.

He shrugged and sighed, growing annoyed. “You could read or somethin’. Hell, I don’t know.” His irritation faded into empathy the second he noticed the terror in her eyes, and he hesitantly suggested, “Unless you wanna come along…?”

“No!” she shouted and instantly released him. She took a step towards the house and shook her head furiously, her hair shaking to and fro from the movement.

“Maddie, it’ll be fine. You and I both know we could use a good ride.”

“ _No!_ I’ll _not_ go anywhere near that town, or anywhere else tonight! Go and drown your sorrows without me, Jack. I’ll do no such foolish thing.”

“What will you do, then?”

She shrugged angrily and shook her head. “Well, Django’s in the house. He’ll keep me company. I’ll think of something.” She waved him away. “Now go.”

Guilt stabbed at his breast; to leave her here all alone nearly tore him apart, but to stay here with her further would’ve been the death of him. After their argument earlier, he’d had enough of it all and needed an escape. Still, he looked her over carefully and asked, “Maddie, are you sure you’ll be okay? ‘Cause I can stay here and—”

“I’m fine, now go.”

He sighed through his nose and stepped closer to her. He took her hand in his gently. “You sure?”

She frowned and rolled her eyes. “ _Yes!_ Now go!”

Bravery and chivalry dared him to raise her hand up to his lips and kiss it. Without taking his eyes off hers, he said, “I’ll be right back, I promise.”

“Whatever, Jack. Just go.” She pulled her hand out of his and hung it back down by her side.

Jack turned and mounted his palomino. As he gathered up the reins in his hands, he looked down at her once more. “Madeline, darlin’, I promise I’ll—”

“Be back, I know,” she finished with a sigh and put her hands on her hips. She nodded down the road, bidding him to leave. “Just go.”

With a troubled frown, he reined his horse around and kicked him into a lope. Sundance tossed his head and ran bolted forward. As they neared the south gate of the property, Jack was about to slow his horse down so he could stop and open the gate, but Sundance leapt gracefully over the fence without a fuss. Once on the open road, Sundance burst forward into an all-out sprint, finally able to stretch his legs and get up to full speed. Jack let the horse go and smiled brightly; with every stride, with every three-beat gait that thundered in his ears, Jack felt the sadness, the stress, the anger, and the frustration blow off him as he and his horse soared across the Great Plains. For the first time in a long time, he felt free and joyful.

 

*             *             *

 

The floorboards creaked and moaned as Maddie paced from the dining room to the living room and back; canine toe nails clicked almost in rhythm with the clacking of her boots as Django followed her around. The evening sunlight filtered through the windows. Maddie looked out of one of them and guessed it was only eight o’clock. With another hour or so of daylight, she was clueless as to what to do.

The thought of being alone at the ranch terrified her. Django sensed her unease and followed her closely, often whining and begging to be petted. Maddie barely paid attention to the dog as she walked around the house aimlessly, looking out the windows with a vigilant eye for any signs of intruders. She kept her hand on the butt of her pistol as she ambled about looking for something to do. The thought of reading didn’t seem too keen with her. She’d cleaned the house earlier. Chores were done, and she didn’t feel like taking Gypsy and Féileacán for a ride when there was only an hour of light. As she entered the pantry for the second time in a minute, she slowed as she looked around at all the supplies Bonnie had given to Jack.

“I wonder…” She searched the cabinets and wooden crates through them all, even in the kitchen, but didn’t find what she was looking for.

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” she grumbled under her breath as she searched once more in the pantry. “A man who can drink whiskey like water doesn’t have a single drop of alcohol in his house. Are you serious, Jack?” She looked over to Django, who sat beside her watching her with a cocked head and perked ears. She shook her head and said, “Django, I think your owner is out of his damn mind. Hell, I’m almost tempted on ridin’ into Blackwater and takin’ up the offer that son of a bitch suggested, since this is a dry town and there’s no—”

Her rambling stopped the second her hand brushed against glass. Leaning down, she peered down into the lower cabinet she’d been searching and smirked. She grabbed the bottle and stood up, holding the whiskey in her hands like a long-lost prized possession. She uncorked the bottle and took a sip. Beside her, Django whined and pawed at her leg, asking for attention once more.

As the whiskey burned down her throat and settled into her stomach, Maddie sighed and closed her eyes. When the dog leaned against her leg, she opened her eyes and looked down at him with a smile. She leaned down and petted his head. “What say you to a night with me, Django? Just you and me and a bottle of whiskey. You can be my best friend tonight, since Jack’s nowhere to be seen.” She lifted her angry gaze to the nearest window and glared out of it. She turned and walked out of the pantry and through the kitchen with the whiskey bottle in her hand. Django followed behind her, ears perked and tail wagging idiotically.

Maddie settled onto the couch in the living room. She stared into the flames of the fireplace, letting her mind go blank and her emotions at ease as she lifted the bottle to her lips and took a big gulp. Django joined her on the couch and laid his head on her lap. With one hand on the pup’s head and the other around the bottle, Maddie let herself go that evening without so much a care in the world.

 

*             *             *

 

Jack didn’t bother to hitch his horse over by the train station; he rode right up to the saloon and dismounted beside the patio. He tied his horse to the fence, deeming it good enough to keep his horse since he figured he wouldn’t be there too long.

 _I wanna be back to her by nightfall_ , _or some time afterwards,_ he promised himself as he walked past the prostitutes and the table of men playing poker. He ignored one of the fellows waving him over for a game; he acted as if the prostitutes who eyed him hungrily and called to him weren’t there. His focus was straight ahead to the bar, and he strolled right up to it with all the haste his tired body could muster. The saloon was full of drunken, sweat-stained men looking for female company and a good drink; the pianist in the corner played the honky-tonk music, livening his spirits slightly. As Jack found a quiet spot in the corner of the bar, he looked around at the lively room and was overwhelmed momentarily. To be around so many people, especially strangers, was a bit alarming after working constantly at his ranch with only his animals and Maddie to keep him company. He sighed and rested his elbows on the counter, feeling the guilt set in.

 _I shouldn’t have left her all alone_. He shook his head and stared down at the countertop with a downcast countenance, his stance slouched and his body resting heavily against the bar. The men nearest him looked him over with cocked eyebrows but otherwise didn’t pay him no mind as they went on drinking and talking to their fellow friends. Jack looked at the rows and rows of bottles behind the counter, hoping to soon forget his misery and burdens.

 _Goddamn it all, I wish things were better. I wish she wasn’t leaving the second we get done with everything. If I could beg her to stay, if she would just listen to me and give me a chance, then maybe we could be like how we were._ He shook his head and frowned bitterly. _But that probably won’t ever fuckin’ happen. She’s too damn stubborn to let happen again, and she’s too scared to let me get close to her, much less any other man._ He ran a hand over his face and sighed heavily. _And to think, we were so close…_

His thoughts ceased as he felt a friendly hand brush his back and his left forearm. He flinched at the prostitute who had snuck her way up to his side and who was now clinging onto him. He froze as he looked at her, and he nearly choked on the overpowering wave of perfume that buffeted his senses. She was pretty, but in an overly-made-up way, with her red hair in tight curls, her brightly colored eyelids, and her short, revealing dress.

“Hey, sugar,” she cooed and batted her eyes at him. “Looks like you could use a good time. I can put a smile on that handsome face. Just spend some time with me and I’ll prove it to you.”

He tugged his arm out of her grasp and took a step back from her. “I don’t need any crotch rot right now, thanks.”

She glared up at him with an appalled expression before she stormed off.

A hearty chuckle to his right caused Jack to turn and look at the bartender behind the counter, who witnessed it all as he wiped out glasses. He walked up to Jack with a wide grin on his face and asked, “What’s the matter, boy? I would’ve thought a night with that pretty gal was what a guy like you was after.”

Jack laid his money down and covered his face in embarrassment and exhaustion. “Just pour me a whiskey, mister. That’s all I need tonight.”

The man took the cash and did as he was told. Reaching down underneath the counter, he bequeathed a bottle of whiskey and a shot glass for his newest customer and poured him a drink.

Jack picked up the shot and threw it back without hesitance. He sighed and closed his eyes as the alcohol burned down his throat and splashed into his gut. He opened his eyes as he set the empty glass down onto the counter between him and the bartender.

“So if you’re not here for the whores, then what brings you here?”

Jack tapped on the empty shot glass, signaling for another shot while simultaneously giving the man the most obvious answer to his question.

The bartender scoffed and poured him another. “Well, yeah, I reckoned that was the case, but what _brought_ you here for it?”

Jack threw back his second shot. He set the glass down and looked off to the side in disdain, feeling like the loneliest, most troubled man in the world. He sighed and rested his weight on his elbows. He stared long and hard at the shot glass without saying a word.

The bartender took his silence as a cue and poured him another. “I know that look, mister. I see it all the time in here: folks drownin’ their sorrows in drink ‘til daybreak, husbands tryin’ to forget their troubles back at home, broken people lookin’ for life’s answers in the worst way possible. I’ve seen it all happen, kid.” He studied Jack hard for a moment. “So…”

Jack looked up at him with a blank expression. He held the shot in one hand and stood hunched over it, feeling like the most pathetic man in the saloon.

“You got a woman waitin’ for you back at home? From the looks of things, seems like you’ve got some trouble with your little lady.”

Jack glared at him and hefted the shot glass towards his face. “I’m not married, mister, and I don’t expect I’ll ever be, now that so much shit has happened.”

The bartender cocked an eyebrow. “Oh? So what’s your story, then? Your lover run off on you? Your brother die? Your land bein’ bought out from under you by the government?”

Jack threw back the shot and angrily slammed the glass back down on the counter.

“Not much for talkin’, are you, mister?” the bartender concluded with raised eyebrows.

“No, and I’m not much for spillin’ my life story to some guy who thrives off of other people’s sorrows,” Jack shot back and motioned down to the shot glass. As the man poured him another, he stared as the golden liquid filled his glass. “Besides, there ain’t nothin’ special or interestin’ about some lonely rancher.”

“Oh, see, now you’ve got me _dyin’_ to know your story, boy,” the man said. His grin faded as he studied Jack hard with a scrutinizing expression. Recognition burst across his face, and he pointed at him and said, “Hey, I know you! Ain’t you John Marston’s boy? Lived outside of town for a while on that ranch he and his family started up before he passed away? Yeah! You’re Jack Marston, aren’t you? The outlaw that became a bounty hunter! I _knew_ I’ve seen you somewhere before… What the hell you doin’ here in town? I thought you and that Maddie Ross were out baggin’ bounties.”

Jack stared at the shot glass he held before his face, toying with the idea of telling the annoying man the truth. “Yeah, I’m John’s son.”

“What about Maddie? Where’s she at?”

“She’s…she’s not with me. We got done with the bounty huntin’ business not too long ago…”

“So I’ve heard, Jack. So I’ve heard. You know, folks around here have been talkin’ about what all you and that pretty little lady done. Archer Fordham pardoned you. Nice work, there, son.”

Jack inclined his head in gratitude before he took the shot. At last, he was beginning to feel the alcohol, and for the first time in two months, he felt his body relax. Still, talking to the bartender about his personal affairs wasn’t something he was keen on doing. _But what the fuck else am I gonna do? Who else am I gonna talk to, besides Maddie? Even if I tried, she wouldn’t talk to me._

Before their conversation could continue, the bartender was beckoned by two men on the opposite side of the bar. The man tended to them and gave them their beers before he returned to Jack and asked, “So what are you doin’ now? Folks have been sayin’ you’ve started up your ranch again.”

Jack’s anger steadily began to boil over at the man’s probing. He set the empty glass down onto the counter one last time and fished out the money he owned. As he tossed down the dollar bills beside the glass, he looked up at the man and growled, “Ya know, I think you’ve got me pretty much figured out, with all that bullshit gossip you’ve been listenin’ to.” He scoffed and shook his head. “I _knew_ I should’ve stayed home and drank there. Lord knows she would’ve been much better company than a bunch of dirty cowpokes and a nosy bartender like you.”

The man’s eyes widened, and he smiled. “So you _do_ have a woman waitin’ for you back home? Who’s the lucky lady?”

“None of your goddamned business, that’s who,” he snapped and turned to walk away.

The bartender leaned over the counter and looked him dead in the eyes with a sudden serious countenance, stopping him in mid-turn. “It better not be Miss Maddie, Jack, ‘cause if her father finds out ‘bout you two, he’s gonna kill you. I’d watch your back, kid, before you get a bunch of bullets in it.” He nodded urgently to the door. “Now git before someone else recognizes you.”

Jack blinked in rapid succession, momentarily stunned by his sudden change of character and pointed concern. He tipped his hat to him and thanked him before he turned and hastily left the saloon. He mounted his horse swiftly and galloped him out of town back to Beecher’s Hope. Sundance flew through the night as fast as he’d carried Jack to town, and by the time they’d reached the ranch, Jack had to stop the horse in front of the gate and open it out of worry that the horse would be too tired to jump the fence. He rode his horse to the barn, where he unsaddled and brushed him out thoroughly. As the stallion drank his fill at the water trough, Jack patted his sweat-lathered neck and said, “Thanks for the ride, boy. I think we both needed that.”

The night was still and cool, just the right temperature as he strolled past his sleeping cattle and Maddie’s mares towards the house; his boots thudded loudly on the porch and the door creaked open as he walked in. He took off his boots at the doorway, knowing better than to wear them inside the house. The last time he did, he got an earful from Maddie, since she’d just swept and mopped the floors. Hanging up his hat and duster on the coat rack, he turned and walked quietly into the living room.

Seeing Maddie sitting on the couch with a half-empty bottle in her hand and Django lying beside her was the last thing he thought he’d see coming home. His blood began to boil as he stormed up to her.

Django lifted his head from her lap and barked happily up at him. Oblivious to the impending argument, the dog wagged his tail and hopped off the couch to rear up on his back legs and put his front paws on Jack’s stomach. Jack shooed the dog away with a slight push, and then the dog knew that something was wrong. The collie retreated to the corner of the room and watched at a safe distance.

Jack pointed down at the bottle she held in her shaky hand and demanded, “Maddie, what the hell?!”

She looked up at him, noticing him at last, and glared up at him through half-closed eyes. She hefted the bottle up and pointed back at him while still grasping the bottle. “You’re not the only one who…w-wanted to drrooown their sorrows in whiskey! I’m mmmaad at you, Jack! Why didn’t ya jus’ tell me you wanted ta…get away from me ‘n’ get drunk someplace else? Fffuck you, you selfisshh p-prick! You c-could’ve gotten drruunk with me, anyways, since you had a bottle a wh-whiskey sittin’ right here the whole fffuckin’ time!”

Jack snatched the bottle from her hands. “Madeline, where did you find this? And why were you lookin’ for it in the first place?”

“‘N the pantry. You…you k-kept it hiddennn from me p-perdy good. Why isss that?” She narrowed her eyes at him, trying to look menacing but instead coming off as comical. “You didn’t want me ta drink, didn’t you? You ‘n’ Bonnie talked behind my back ‘cause you knew I’d drrrink. How d-dare you, you sssson of a b-bitch!”

“I was tryin’ to keep you safe!”

“From what?”

“From yourself! I _knew_ you’d go straight to the bottle if you saw me drinkin’ here.” He looked down at the bottle in his hands with disgust. “I thought I fuckin’ got rid of it all!”

Maddie giggled drunkenly and pointed at the bottle, her arm swaying in the air before her. “Yeah, well, lookit tthhat, mmmissster! I d-drank halffff of it for you.”

“Why?!”

“‘C-Cause I nnnneeded to, Jack!” she shouted back, leaning up and swaying as she did so. She pointed vindictively up at him. “Y-You dddon’t understand all the p-pain I’vvve been through, all the lies I’ve had to p-put up with ‘n’ all the grief ‘n’ guilt! It’s YOUR FAULT I’mmm this way! If it weren’t for you ‘n’ your goddamned outlaw fffather—”

The bottle sailed across the room and smashed into a thousand pieces against the farthest wall as Jack’s anger exploded. He towered over Maddie as he pointed down at her with one steely finger and jabbed it in her face as he thundered, “DON’T YOU **_DARE_** SAY ANOTHER CROSS WORD ABOUT MY FATHER! You don’t have a _FUCKIN’_ **_CLUE_** what pain and grief and sufferin’ is! I FOUND MY FATHER LYIN’ IN A POOL OF HIS OWN BLOOD AFTER HE SACRIFICED HIMSELF FOR ME AND MY MOTHER BECAUSE HE KNEW _YOUR BACKSTABBIN’ UNCLE_ WOULDN’T STOP CHASIN’ US UNTIL THE _REAL HERO_ WAS DEAD AND GONE! I’ve had to bury my father when he and I were startin’ to get along and I was just startin’ to forgive him for all the months he was away tryin’ to take down our former gang because _YOUR UNCLE_ FORCED HIM TO GO WHILE HE HELD US CAPTIVE! And you know what else?! I’VE HAD TO WATCH MY MOTHER SUFFER THROUGH LOSING HER HUSBAND, ONLY TO WATCH HER _DIE_ _THREE YEARS LATER_ AND BURY HER AS WELL! You think _YOU’VE_ suffered?! _I’VE_ LOST **_EVERYTHING!_** I’ve suffered FAR MORE than your selfish mind could _POSSIBLY_ comprehend! And on top of all that, I’ve poured my heart and soul out while takin’ care of an _UNGRATEFUL_ , _HEARTLESS_ , _UNSYMPATHETIC_ WOMAN who has _YET_ to show me a **_SHRED_** of gratitude the whole time she’s stated here on my ranch! SO THE NEXT TIME YOU WANNA START WHININ’ ABOUT HOW UNFAIR LIFE IS OR HOW MUCH YOU’VE SUFFERED OR HOW I DON’T UNDERSTAND PAIN AND GRIEF, LET MY WORDS BE THE _FIRST THING_ TO REMIND YOU OF THE _HARDSHIPS_ , _PAIN_ , AND _SACRIFICE_ I’VE HAD TO ENDURE!”

Even in her drunken stupor, she stared wide-eyed and slack-jawed up at him. Speechless, she drifted her gaze down and into the fire. The orange glow from the hearth lit up her face, enhancing the redness of her cheeks and the glistening of her eyes as tears formed in them. Several trickled down her face as she wept for him. Her body shook from the shock of the moment and how severe his emotional and physiological detriment and suffering was.

Jack stood over her seething, his body shaking with rage and his breath coming out in ragged, angry heaves. He knew he’d overstepped his boundaries with her, but it was too enraged to care. “So, do you have anything smart-mouthed to say to me now, or do you need more proof? ‘Cause I’ve got all night to tell you the truth about how everything happened.”

She nodded slowly and looked up at him, tears still in her eyes. She sniffed and wiped at her eyes with her fingertips. “Alright, Jack. Tell me. Tell me evv’rything. I’m listenin’.”

And so he told her, right from the very beginning, as far back as he could remember, of the days he’d spent growing up alongside Dutch and the other gang members, how his father and mother started up a family and decided to leave the gang after they left John for dead after a bank robbery that went awry, all the way up to the days leading up to his plan to avenge his father’s death and finally bring his father’s killer to justice. Jack stood shaking the entire time, even as he recalled the better, happier times of his life, however few and far between they were. He began to pace as he recounted his life story to her. He held absolutely nothing back, and two hours later, he finally sat down beside her, his voice hoarse from talking and his body enervated.

After her long stretch of silence, Maddie turned and looked at him. Fresh tears streamed down her face as she rested her hand on top of his. “I’mm so sssorry, Jack. I…nnnever knew.”

He glared at the fire and refused to answer, but his heart fluttered at her touch. He glanced down at their hands when she upturned his so that she could intertwine her fingers with his. He looked into her tear-swimming eyes, and his heart skipped a beat: the flame that had once died out so long ago suddenly became rekindled, and as she squeezed his hand lovingly, he felt an intoxicating warmth flow over his body. She looked at him like she used to, with friendship and understanding and a hunger for something more.

Though he knew she was still drunk, he thought about kissing her. _No, it wouldn’t be right,_ he thought as he squeezed her hand.

Maddie scooted closer to him with a sudden lascivious gleam in her eyes. Her free hand drifted up to his face and cupped his left cheek. Still swaying, her eyes half-lidded from her intoxication, she leaned in and closed her eyes.

Her hot breath drifted across his face, and he nearly got drunk off the smell of the alcohol alone were it not for the intoxication he felt as her lips brushed against his. Her lips lingered there for a moment until she pulled away and whispered, “I’mm ssso sorry, Jack…for ev’rything. I’m so vvvery sorry.”

Hearing her apologize was wonderful to his ears, but all he wanted in that moment was to kiss her as much as humanly possible. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her even closer. The four shots of whiskey he’d had earlier and the heat of the moment brought on a whole new level of bravery and ardor he never knew he had. He kissed her passionately, abandoning all previous thoughts of holding back.

Only when she pulled violently away and pushed him roughly on his chest did he snap out of his feverish trance and let her jolt out of his embrace. The same terror shown on her face from when she was raped made itself known as she scooted as far away from him as the couch would allow. She sat panting and staring at him, her eyes wide and her hands held before her as if to shield herself from him.

Jack covered his face with a hand and bowed his head. “Maddie, I’m so sorry. I…I just got carried away and I’m…God, I’m so very sorry.”

The couch shook from the fear that encased her; it took several minutes for her to calm down and allow him to approach her. When at last she deemed it safe, she allowed him to hug her and kiss her forehead.

“I’m sorry, Maddie. I’d never hurt you. I just…I mean, I…”

They released each other and looked in each other’s eyes.

“Just don’t d-do that again, Jack. You s-scared me. I…I thought it was g-gonna happen all overrr again.”

He took her hands in his. “Madeline, I’d NEVER do that to you. Ever.”

After a moment of silence, Maddie nodded and said, “I think it’s…best we get ta bed, Jack.”

Jack grinned and stood up off the couch. He offered her a hand, since he knew she’d be a little unsteady on her feet. Sure as day, the moment she tried to rise to her feet, she swayed and nearly fell off the couch were it not for his quick reflexes. He caught her by the waist and held her up with one strong arm.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, darlin’,” he chuckled as he helped her stand. “Take it easy now.”

She blinked stupidly as he helped her start to walk toward her bedroom. She giggled and slurred, “I know, I’mm sssorry. But Jack, I jusss want you ta know…I’m sssorry for everythin’.”

“I know. Thank you.”

 Together, they walked into his parents’ bedroom. With some difficulty, Jack helped her get into bed. He pulled the covers up to her chest and tried to make her as comfortable as possible.

As he bent down to kiss her on the forehead, she surprised him by leaning up and kissing him on the mouth. Shocked, he pulled away and looked down at her wondrously. She smirked and, still heavily intoxicated, whispered, “And Jack, I…I lllove you.”

He blinked and stared down at her. He snorted through his nose and chortled, “Maddie, you’re still pretty drunk.”

“Oh, fffuck you, I’m not,” she argued with a stupid grin on her lips.

He kissed her on the forehead and straightened back up. “’Night, Maddie.”

“’Night, Jack.”

He smiled down at her as he turned and walked out the door, quietly closing it behind him.


	36. Temptation

**Chapter Track** : “Stay With Me (Brass Bed)” – Josh Gracin

 

Jack rapped his knuckles on the door. “Maddie?”

“Go away,” she moaned from behind the door. Bedsprings groaned and creaked; bed sheets rustled.

“You doin’ all right? Can I come in?”

A long sigh and a groan answered him at first. “I feel like shit… Hell, I even _look_ like shit.”

Jack chuckled softly. “You did drink half a bottle of whiskey last night. And as far as lookin’ like shit, I _highly_ doubt that, darlin’.”

“Don’t flatter me.”

He snorted and smiled with amusement at her sour retort and bowed his head. “Can I come in?”

“Oh, alright.”

Hesitantly, he turned the knob and pushed the door open, the hinges squeaking softly. His boots thudded against the wooden floor as he stepped into the room. She lay on her side facing him. Her hair was a mess around her shoulders; terrible bags formed under her half-opened eyes. The moment he stepped into the room, she pulled the covers up over her head and moaned with misery. Jack chuckled as he walked up to her bedside and sat down on the corner.

“Maddie, c’mon,” he encouraged with a smirk. “You don’t look that terrible. You never have to me, anyways.”

“Oh, you’re just layin’ it on thick this morning, aren’t you?” she grumbled from underneath the sheets.

“I’m just being honest is all.”

She gave an unimpressed grunt as she slowly lowered the covers to her chest. Her face scrunched into a countenance of pain, and she rubbed at her temples with her fingers gingerly, gasping and wincing.

Jack scooted closer to her. “Headache?”

She nodded, her eyes shut tight.

“I’ve still got that medicine the doctor gave for you. I can get it for you, if you like.”

She laid her head back down on the pillow and rolled onto her back; she covered her face with both hands and sighed heavily. “If you would, please.”

He wasted no time retrieving the medicine from her belongings across the room; she’d kept her things, what little she had at the ranch, sitting atop the dresser. After she’d taken the pills, she laid back down and closed her eyes, her forehead furrowed as the pain continued to wrack her head. Jack sat beside her for a time, looking her over with concern.

“You gonna be okay?” he asked as he rested a hand on her arm.

She shook her head. “I don’t think it’s been this bad before. Jesus Christ, what was I _thinkin’_ last night?”

His thumb caressed her skin; he squeezed her arm. “Well, I don’t think you were thinkin’ at all, Maddie. But then again, I went and did the same thing in town.” He glanced to the side and frowned. “I’m sorry.”

She opened an eye and frowned quizzically at him. “For what?”

“For last night. For leavin’ you here, alone. And for yellin’ at you.”

She blinked and opened her other eye, staring at him with a blank expression.

“Or do you not remember?”

“It’s…fuzzy…but yes, I remember. And I’m sorry for everything you’ve had to go through.” Her eyes softened as she looked up at him. She took his hand in hers and squeezed it.

“No need to apologize, ma’am. All that’s happened so long ago. None of it matters anymore.”

She frowned as she closed her eyes and sighed.

Jack studied her for a time, noticing how worn out and frail she seemed. Her hair, though tangled slightly, was spread out atop the pillows and her shoulders in a beautiful fan. He stood up off the bed and turned to leave.

“Wait a minute,” she called out. “Where are you goin’?”

“Chores gotta get done some time this mornin’,” he answered over his shoulder. “And the barn needs to get finished.”

“So, what, you think you’re gonna do all the work outside by yourself today?”

He nodded. “I think it’s just best if you rest up and sleep it off. Just for today. Then tomorrow I’ll put your lazy butt back to work. How does that sound?”

She frowned at him and rolled her eyes. “If my stomach wasn’t churnin’ and my head wasn’t poundin’, I’d get up and beat some manners into you. But as it seems, I’ll most likely prove a poor worker today. I swear, if I live through this day, it’ll be a miracle.”

Jack chuckled as he rested his hand on the door knob. “You’ll be fine. You’re tough.”

“But what if you need help out there? What am I supposed to do, just lay here and not do a damned thing while you’re out there bustin’ your ass?”

He nodded resolutely. “And if you try to get out there and help, I’ll drag you right back in here and make you lay down.”

She sighed and draped an arm over her face, shielding her eyes from the morning sunlight that fought to pierce through the curtains. “Fine, but I’d better not hear any sass-mouthin’ from you later on. If you only _knew_ how much this _hurts_ …”

“Trust me, I’ve had my fair share of mornings like this. Just rest. I’ll be back in here ‘round noon to check up on you. Until then, get some sleep, alright?”

“Okay,” she groaned and rolled over onto her side with her back facing him. Before he closed the door behind him, he heard her murmur, “Thank you, Jack.”

“Any time, miss.”

 

*             *             *

 

By the time dusk began to settle around the ranch, Jack had finished with most of the exterior of the barn and did chores. Weary and hungry for a hot meal, he shuffled back up to the house. As he walked up the porch steps and towards the door, he paused when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning, he blinked with surprise to see Maddie sitting on the corner of the porch in the rocking chair, one hand holding a book and the other a large smoking cigar. Happy to see her out of bed, he ambled up to her with a smile.

“Glad to see you’re feelin’ better,” he said as he leaned against the porch railing. He glanced down at the book in her hands and squinted to discern the title. “What are you readin’?”

“ _The Taming of the Shrew_ ,” she replied and brought the cigar to her lips. She took several short puffs before one long drag. She let the smoke roll out of her mouth and past her lips in one glorious bluish-white cloud; it drifted up around the brim of her Stetson and dissipated slowly in the air above her. Her hair had been washed and combed and pulled up into a messy bun, with several strands falling over her forehead. She looked ravishing to him.

Blinking away his entrancement, he cleared his throat and asked, “Again? I thought you’ve read that already, back at Bonnie’s.”

“Well, yeah, but I wanted to read it again. I never get tired of Shakespeare and his whimsical plays. And this one,” she tapped on the cover and glanced up at him, “is just as interesting.”

He grinned down at her. “So, is it better the second time around?”

She nodded as she returned her gaze to the pages. The cigar released a tendril of smoke that danced around her head. “ _Hamlet_ is still my favorite, though.”

“Mine, too,” he agreed as he reached within his vest pocket and withdrew a cigarette he’d rolled and packed earlier that day. He lit up and took a long, refreshing inhale, letting the smoke drift out of his mouth as he looked out across his ranch. The sunset cast a beautiful, orange haze over his property, and he grinned at how much he’d gotten done so far that summer. “Ya know, it won’t be long before we get done with everything.” He glanced down at Maddie, and sorrow crept into his heart. He stepped closer to his companion and rested a hand on her shoulder to get her attention.

She looked up at him from her book and blinked. “Yes?”

He bit down on his lip, not knowing how best to phrase his concerns. “So…have you made a decision yet?”

“You know the answer to that question, Jack.”

He opened his mouth to rebuke her decision, but he closed it when he realized it wouldn’t make much of a difference. _I wish you’d stay_ , he thought as he removed his hand from her shoulder and turned to face the sunset, staring solemnly past his property and across the Great Plains. _I wish you would reconsider…but you won’t._

“It’s better this way,” she murmured as she closed her book and set it on her lap. “You and I both know this to be true.”

He glanced back at her over his shoulder with a deep frown and a furrowed brow. “If that’s what you want...”

“Thank you, Jack. I appreciate your respect for my wishes.”

Jack nodded curtly as he looked back out around the landscape. He quickly smoked his cigarette before he ground it out on the railing, flicked it over the side, and hastily retreated into the house to start on supper and keep himself from thinking further on the saddening matter at hand.

 

*             *             *

 

The weeks passed; June passed into July, and the barn and silo were completely restored. The livestock had all but grazed down what grass the property could give to them, and one morning Jack and Maddie saddled up and drove the cattle and Féileacán out to the Great Plains to graze. All was quiet as they sat atop their horses watching over the herd; they hardly spoke and the silence wasn’t bothersome to the two as they enjoyed the quietness of the plains. However, after they drove the livestock back to the corral for the night, the silence was broken as they unsaddled their horses in the barn.

Maddie looked at him overtop Gypsy’s back and said, “I’m leavin’, Jack.”

Jack flinched and stared at her, wide-eyed as he tried to process her words. “Now?” he asked fearfully, his voice quivering. He paused loosening the front cinch.

She shook her head once and pulled off the saddle and blanket off her mare’s sweat-drenched back. “No, tomorrow mornin’ after chores.”

Jack’s heart sank deeper and deeper into his gut. Frowning deeply, he pulled the saddle and blanket off and set them atop a saw horse. Without looking at her again, he led his palomino out the back of the barn and into the corral, where he took off the bridle and patted the stallion’s rump, urging him to walk on and join Féileacán’s side.

Maddie and Gypsy walked up to him; Maddie took off the bridle and watched as her black beauty trotted over to her herd mates across the corral. The trio of equines whickered and brushed noses, happy to be together at the end of the day.

Jack turned to her. “What spurred this on?”

Maddie shrugged and looked up at him. “You don’t need me here anymore. My debt has been repaid, and it’s just best we move on.” She turned and walked away through the barn and out the front, heading back to the house.

Jack watched her leave, temporarily rooted in place by the icy pain in his chest. Determination boiled over, thawing his cracked heart, and with a shake of his head, he strolled through the barn and followed her inside. She stood in the living room, looking around the house as if she were painting a picture of it in her memory before she left. A sad frown adorned her lips, and her eyes were narrowed slightly, but nevertheless, she looked determined to take her leave come tomorrow morning.

She blinked as Jack came to stand before her. “What?”

“Don’t go. Please, Maddie. Please reconsider it. I’m beggin’ you.”

She shook her head as she undid her hair and let it tumble down her shoulders and back. She flicked her hair back with a toss of her head as she crossed her arms and refused to submit to his pleadings. “No, Jack. It’s not right for me to stay here any longer. It’s heresy for an unmarried woman to live with an unmarried man, you know that. Besides, it wouldn’t make sense for me to stay with the man who killed my uncle, nor for you to be with the niece of the man you killed.”

Jack’s jaw dropped. “That shouldn’t matter now, Maddie! It **_doesn’t_** _!_ What are you so afraid of? What could possibly not make you want to stay, other than such stupid reasons that really don’t matter anymore?”

Maddie set her face into a hard grimace as she threw her arms down to her sides and shouted, “Both our families are broken and dead, so what do you suppose will happen to us if I choose to stay with you?”

_“We would be happy, for one thing!”_ Jack answered earnestly and stepped closer to her. “I’ve started all over again, so why shouldn’t you? Maddie, _please_ just listen to me. Why leave when this is your home already? What will you do, besides go back to Bonnie’s and go back to bounty hunting? What’s there for you to do, besides be a ranch hand over there and spend the rest of your days being shot at by criminals and raising livestock? What happens if you get killed the next time you go out alone on a hunt? If you just ride off by yourself, then what am I supposed to do? Just sit here helpless and hear about how you got shot down and killed like some wild animal out in the middle of nowhere?”

She stiffened with anger and stepped closer to him. “I’m NOT goin’ to be a bounty hunter, Jack. Not anymore. I’m through with that business: all it’s proven is that I’m no stronger than I was when I first started. It’s deflowered me and turned me to someone I’m not. And I have every intention on goin’ back to Bonnie’s. She needs my help.”

“Bonnie’s just fine without you, darlin’. She’s got more than enough help at the ranch than she can keep track of. Please, Maddie, stay with me.”

She shook her head and furrowed her brow. “I’ve only stayed here this long to pay my debt. Besides, these past three months have been hell for the both of us. Admit it, Jack, you’ve _hated_ havin’ me here: I’ve made your life a livin’ hell! I’ve been nothin’ but a burden to you.”

He grasped her by the shoulders and looked deep into her eyes. “Maddie, don’t EVER say that! You’ve _never_ been a burden to me, not ever!”

She looked off the side and bit down on her lip. For a long moment, she stood there debating, all the while mixed emotions flashing across her face. She glanced back at him with a burning affection that made his heart stop; she glared at him with seething hate and betrayal; she blinked away tears of regret and heartbreak and stared down at the floor.

Seeing her distress, Jack stepped closer and took her hands in his. They stared at one another for a long second before the silence was broken.

“Can I trust you?” she whispered sincerely.

He blinked. “I’ve been takin’ care of you, haven’t I? Come on, Maddie, just think about what you’ve just asked me. You can trust me.”

Anger flashed in her brown eyes. “Can I? When the last time I trusted you, you hurt me more than I’ve ever—”

“Oh, COME ON, Madeline! _ENOUGH_ of that! Why do you keep throwin’ that in my face?!”

She wrenched her hands out of his and shouted back, “So I can make sure I won’t get hurt again! Do you not see how difficult this is— _has been_ for me? Even if I try, what’s the point when one of us will eventually say or do somethin’ to hurt the other?”

“The whole point in two people doin’ this sort of thing is that they’re willing to give it a try, because they _want_ and _know_ _that_ somethin’ good will come out of it!” He stepped closer to her once more and reached his hands out to hers.

In response to his advances, Maddie shied away until her back pressed against the wall adjacent to his parent’s bedroom.

“Maddie, I trust you and… and I love you.” He stepped closer to her. “I’d lay my life down for your sake. Hell, I _tried_ that, and you ended up not shootin’ me. And I _knew_ you wouldn’t do it, because you know why?” He looked deep into her eyes as he took her hands. “Because I _know_ you love me. I wouldn’t be standin' here right now if you didn’t. You could’ve taken my life that day, but instead you gave me another one. You’ve saved me in _so many_ ways; I’ll never be able to repay you, darlin’. So really, _I’m_ indebted to _you_ , Madeline Ross. So I’m beggin’ you to stay so that I can somehow find a way to repay you.”

She pushed him away and shook her head furiously. “You owe me nothin’, Jack. Stop doin’ this.”

“Doin’ what?” he asked innocently as he turned and walked up to her.

She backed away, her hands raised to show she didn’t wish him to come any closer. “You mean well, but please let me leave. I can’t do this goddamned dance with you anymore. I’m tired, Jack, and I just need to go.” She turned to her bedroom door and rushed forward, her free hand reaching for the doorknob.

Desperate, Jack grabbed her outstretched arm by the wrist and pulled her back away from the door. Unbeknown to him, his grasp triggered her into a panic, and she yanked away from him. What started out as a means to keep her with him turned into in a sudden moment of passion as Jack grabbed her by both wrists and pushed her up against the wall, his face a hands breadth away from hers. He stared into her eyes for a long moment…before he moved his hands from her wrists to intertwine his fingers with hers as he kissed her vivaciously.

She was caught off-guard, and for a second, she allowed him to kiss her. Suddenly, her anger returned, and she was able to free a hand from his and push him off her long enough to shout, “How dare you, Jack Marston! After everything you’ve—”

“Shut up and kiss me,” he growled lasciviously and silenced her with another passionate kiss. He briefly pulled away long enough to see if she would respond.

She did, to his surprise and pleasure, as she let go of his other hand. With her left hand, she grasped his face, and with her right, she grabbed the back of his head and laced her fingers into his hair. She kissed him with a sudden aggressive, heart-stopping passion. His ardor spiked to an unbearable level when she shoved him back into the opposite wall.

They pulled away from each other briefly, panting and suddenly eyeing each other with a shocked hunger. Maddie grinned amorously at him and asked coyly, “Is that what you wanted?”

Breathing heavily, he took her by the hand and led her to the nearest bedroom.


	37. Afterglow

**Chapter Track** : “Breathe A Sigh” – Def Leppard

 

He awoke to the warming rays of sunlight through the windows; however, he didn’t open his eyes as he enjoyed the warmth on his face and bare chest and the peace it brought him as he lay in bed halfway beneath the sheets. He sighed with contentment, having never before felt such deep tranquility as he finally opened his eyes and found himself lying on his back staring up at the ceiling, feeling empty-headed and refreshed from the deep, dreamless sleep he’d had.

He turned his head slightly to the left and grew puzzled when he realized he had awoken in his parents’ bedroom; he blinked in rapid succession as his gaze swept across the fireplace and the dresser with the oval mirror sitting atop it. He was perplexed at the trail of clothes strewn across the floor leading toward his side of the bed; the bedroom door was wide open. _What the hell?_ he thought, blinking and frowning as he looked to his right.

His heart skipped a beat at what he saw.

She was laying on her side with her back facing him and the bed sheets exposing all but her lower half. Her long hair, slightly tangled and messy, cascaded down the pillow behind her like a dark-brown waterfall. The sheets were draped over the lower half of her buttocks and concealed her legs; it flowed along with and displayed the curves of her body beautifully. Her right leg was brought up at an almost ninety-degree angle, while her left lay straight. Her left arm cradled her head from underneath the pillow while her right arm rested on her side, her elbow fitting rather well in the crook of her waist. Her side and arm rose and fell in a slow, steady rhythm, her breathing soft and assuaging. Madeline was lost to the realm of wondrous dreams and restful sleep, far too gone from experiencing the dream-like quality of her conscious lover’s reality.

 _I must be dreaming_ …

In slack-jawed wonder, Jack looked her up and down. He stared at how the sunlight bounced off her creamy-white skin, making it glow and adding to the surrealism. Was it really just a dream? To prove it to be true, he rolled onto his side and reached out with his left hand. He touched her arm and gasped. _Oh, my God_ , he thought with a growing smile. _Last night DID happen…_

In a furious series of images, his mind’s eye assailed him with memories of the night before. He recalled with a disbelieving gasp at how they timidly undressed each other, how their hands explored each other’s bodies; he remembered kissing her as passionately as he could as their first night together commenced slowly, delicately. Maddie grew fearful as things progressed; however, he whispered reassuringly he was only going to do what she allowed, that everything was up to her, that whatever happened happened, and if it didn’t, he wouldn’t be heartbroken—he made sure she knew she was never, _ever_ going to be taken advantage of. It was in that pivotal moment, when she looked up at him, and he down at her, that they fully trusted each other, embraced their passions, and laid down.

They mirrored the same shocked but sensual expression as skin brushed skin and their bodies touched. With no other way to go but further, they let it all go and lost themselves in the moment, and at long last, they were joined together. He had started out slow, as painless as he could possibly make it, just as she had asked him to. They talked throughout it; he made sure she wasn’t scared or in pain. When ten minutes passed, when Maddie was still with him and able to relax, her hands began to slide up and down his back. She began to sigh and look up at him with all the ecstasy and fascination he felt as well. Eventually, it all became a passionate blur, though their night together wasn’t rough or aggressive in any way. He had never before felt such consuming lust, such furious ardor. No amount of words in the world could’ve described the storm of emotions and sensations that assailed him during it all. And the look in Maddie’s eyes… He recalled hearing her say she loved him. He said it right back, without hesitation. The look she gave him, and he her, solidified their belief in each other’s feelings, sealing their fates together in an unbreakable bond that they knew was meant to be.

It was after they professed their love that their passion grew wild: she wrapped her arms tightly around him, she sighed and said his name in a way he’d never heard her say before. Quite soon, his body was covered in a sheen of sweat; he grew exhausted and overwhelmed by passion. Scared by it, and by what could have happened, he eased back and eventually slowed to a stop before his moment of pleasure happened. Afterwards, he and Maddie laid side by side half-way under the covers, panting and staring wide-eyed at each other. Neither spoke a word as they tried catching their breath; after a minute or two, Maddie had cuddled up beside him and rested her head on his heaving chest. Still enraptured by their night of love, he enveloped her in his arms, kissed her frequently, and professed his love for her more times than he could recall. He had never felt so elated and bewildered in all his life. His first time had finally happened after so long, and he couldn’t have been more happy with who he shared it with.

 _I love you_ , he thought as he looked her over, feeling his heart gush with a waterfall of adoration. It washed over him, yet it burned like fire in his veins and made his heart pound powerfully; it chilled him to the bone but set his limbs aquiver in giddy exuberance. His fantasy had been fulfilled at last, and now to have awoken in bed with her was almost too much for him to handle. He wanted her again, just as he had her last night, but he knew better than to ruin a perfectly blissful moment. He didn’t want it to end, and yet he ached to be one with her again.

His eyes ran up and down her body once more. He stared in fascination at how her body flowed, how it rose and fell, curved and straightened, like the land he’d explored so long ago. His explorations, however, were nowhere near as beautiful and wild as her sensual body. She was more beautiful than the land, more captivating than the sky above it, and more spirited and lively than the beings that dwelled in both worlds. She was unearthly, goddess-like, above anything and anyone he’d ever encountered.

He touched her shoulder with his fingertips before slowly drifting them down her arm, sliding over her torso and outer thigh, before returning to where he began. Her skin was softer than silk, more graceful and delicate than a swan’s white plumage. His callused hand scratched across her smooth flesh like sand paper, but he didn’t pay attention to that as he caressed her. He scooted closer to her and propped his head up with his other hand as he leaned over her and lowered his head to her shoulder; his facial hair brushed her skin as he gingerly kissed up and down her arm.

Softly, Maddie stirred awake. Jack watched her eyes slowly open before he scooted back to give her room. She inhaled deeply and rubbed at her eyes. She rolled over and faced him with a tired but peaceful grin. Their eyes met, and once again Jack felt his heart swell with a feverish infatuation. He smirked softly and cooed, “Good mornin’.”

“Mornin’,” she replied huskily, her voice hoarse from sleep. She adjusted her hair, flicking it out from underneath her arm and back. It blanketed her shoulders and breasts in a beautiful mess. She frowned with annoyance and, in an effort to straighten her appearance, ran her fingers through it to comb out the tangles it had received from their night of passion.

Her tidying wasn’t necessary: on the contrary, Jack thought she looked more beautiful and seductive because of it. He drew his hand back up to her arm and caressed it with his thumb.

At his touch, she paused and looked back into his eyes. She hummed with contentment and gave him the sweetest smile. In response, she placed a delicate hand on his hip. He shivered and gasped as she slid her hand up and down his side. She scooted closer to him and kissed his chest before pressing her face against him.

She snorted through her nose softly. “Your heart’s poundin’, Jack.”

He wrapped his arms around her and grinned. “So is yours.”

“Can you blame me?” she chuckled, looking up into his eyes with a sly twinkle. “Last night was…” She trailed off and shook her head, at a loss for words to describe it.

“I know,” he agreed and kissed her.

“I’ve never experienced anything like that before,” Maddie continued after he pulled away. She wrapped her arm around his torso. “Thank you, Jack, for…understanding.”

He smiled. “Neither have I.” He kissed her again and caressed the side of her face with his fingers. “And you’re welcome. Are you…okay? Was it…good for you?”

She grinned and nodded. “Yes.”

Relief and pride swelled in his chest. He held her close and sighed with contentment. “Good.”

“Was I…good?”

“Yes,” he laughed and kissed her forehead, “though at times you got carried away.”

“ ** _I_** did?” she exclaimed as she looked back up at him, a wry smirk forming across her mouth. “ _You_ were getting’ a little feisty yourself, Jack.” She flashed her gaze down their naked bodies pressed together and then back up at him to prove her point. “And even now, look who’s gettin’ rambunctious!”

“Can you blame me?”

“Easy there, stud. You’d best be calmin’ down now.”

“Why should I?” he questioned playfully as he kissed down her neck. He grinned when he felt her heart pound and heard her breath quicken. He glanced up at her through his eyelashes and smiled when he saw her eyelids flutter and her mouth part slightly. Before she could stop him, he rolled over on top of her. He propped up his elbows by her sides so he didn’t put all his weight on her as his lips traveled down her neck and straight down the middle of her chest.

Despite his efforts to seduce her, she came out the stronger one and, pressing her hands against his stomach, pushed him gently away from her. “Because,” she replied logically as she met eyes with him, “chores need to get done some time this morning.”

He rolled his eyes and pushed back against her hands. “That can wait, Maddie. That doesn’t need to get done _just_ yet.” He lowered most of his weight down on her and kissed her passionately.

“Jack,” she giggled after he pulled away. A hint of admonition could be heard in her voice, but it sounded forced. Again, she tried pushing away, but he pinned her down with his body.

“Jack, stop,” she murmured, still smiling. “Calm yourself.”

His humor faded into desire as he breathed, “No. Not when I have you like this. Not after what happened last night. I want that again.”

Indecision crossed her face and lingered there as she searched his eyes with hers. Temptation beckoned…but so did morning chores. Still, the desire and passion he was consumed by wafted around her; she closed her eyes and kissed him softly, on the cusp of giving in.

“Maddie,” he whispered, almost begging for it as he ran his fingers through her hair, “I love you, and…I want you… right now.”

Her eyes widened as they searched his in wonder. She slid her hands up his chest, up and around his neck, to the back of his head. She pulled his face to hers and kissed him back with twice as much passion, easily outdoing his efforts and making him moan voluptuously. Before things could escalate, however, she pulled away and pushed his upper body up off her. She gave him a knowing smile and shook her head. He gave her a puzzled look, barely coming out of his amorousness, but she said resolutely, “Not now, Jack. Chores need to get done.”

He half-scoffed half-laughed. “Maddie…” He tried going for a kiss.

She leaned away and gave him a stern look. “Come on. Time to get up and start the day.”

He sighed in defeat and got up off of her. He flopped to one side as she scooted out from underneath him. He lay in bed befuddled and frustrated with the sheets barely concealing his lower half. He sighed and gave a despairing groan as she slipped on her undergarments and her shirt.

She looked back at him over her shoulder, laughed, and rolled her eyes. “It’s not the end of the world, Jack. Come on, get dressed.”

He looked dejectedly at her. With a groan, he swung his legs around off the edge of the bed. His body was sore from their night of passion, but he wasn’t complaining in the slightest.

Chuckling, she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pressing her chest into his face as she hugged him. “There will be other times, Jack. Don’t worry.”

“Really?”

She nodded and laughed boisterously, looking at him with an adoring twinkle. “Of course, my love.” She kissed his forehead before withdrawing her arms from him. She stiffly put her pants on and buckled her belt. “But not right this second. I think it’s best we…wait for a while.”

Jack nodded as he stood up out of bed and retrieved his pants. “I understand. Sorry if I was bein’ a little…”

“Rambunctious?” she finished as she swung her vest on and pulled her boots onto her feet.

He chortled and looked away, embarrassed. “Yeah, I guess.”

She laughed as she walked up to him. She wrapped her arms around his bare torso and kissed his chest. “I understand. But for now, just keep your passions to yourself while we go take care of the animals, okay? We’ve got a full day ahead of us: the cattle and horses need fed and watered, the garden needs tendin’ to, and the—”

Jack silenced her with a long, passionate kiss. He smirked as he pulled away and looked into her eyes. “I know, Maddie.”

“Is that my cue to shut up?”

“Maybe.”

She shook her head and watched him shrug his shirt on. “I suppose you’re gonna be usin’ that trick from now on, aren’t you?”

“Maybe.”

A hard smack on his arm smote his scheming and bade him to quickly finish dressing. “Jack Marston, you’d better wipe that smirk off your face,” she warned before she strode out the bedroom and into the hallway. “Now hustle up and get dressed. We’ve got work to do.”

He stumbled out the door as he followed her outside, smirking and chuckling all the while.

 

*             *             *

 

“Jack, you can stop starin’ at me now.”

He blinked and looked away out across Sundance’s ears and at the herd of grazing cattle. Beneath him, his horse shifted his weight from hoof to hoof, his pasterns and knees popping. “Sorry,” he murmured, his heart pounding in his chest.

“What’s with you, anyway?” Maddie teased as she reined Gypsy closer to Sundance. The mare sidestepped over to the palomino stud.

“I just love you.” His heart felt like it would hammer out of his chest when he looked back at her, and for the fifteenth time that day, he fell in love with her all over again. He sighed with passion and smiled gaily at her.

She smiled affectionately at him and held out a hand.

Jack took it and, turning in the saddle, brought it up to his lips and kissed it.

Maddie rolled her eyes and blushed. “Oh, stop it, Romeo. Look at you, all happy and bright-eyed. I don’t think I’ve _ever_ seen you this ecstatic and lovin’ life.” She shook her head, absolutely amazed. “It’s beautiful, really.”

“ _You’re_ beautiful,” he gushed and squeezed her hand lovingly. His heart thundered away, making his breath quicken the longer he stared at her. The mid-morning sun glanced off her clothes and skin, making her absolutely glow. He adored the pink flush on her cheeks. Her hair shimmered in the sunlight; stands of red could be seen every so often. The breeze swept up her hair and duster lazily as she and Jack sat atop their horses on top of a hill overlooking the cattle and Féileacán as they ate their fill across the Great Plains.

Maddie blushed a deeper shade of pink at his comment and looked away. “Oh, stop it, you great big kiss-ass. You should be lookin’ out for any cattle rustlers instead of gawkin’ at me.” The wind took her hair and blew it across her face. Irritated, she released Jack’s hand to tuck her hair back behind her ear.

“I can’t help it: you’re too beautiful to resist, Maddie.”

She gave him a warning look, even though the corner of her mouth was turned up into an amused smirk. “You’d better stay on your horse, Jack. Don’t even _think_ about foolin’ around out here in broad daylight, especially when we’ve got cattle to look after.”

He grinned mischievously and flashed his eyebrows. “Oh, now you’re just givin’ me ideas.”

She sighed and rolled her eyes. She snorted through her nose and shook her head. “My God, perhaps I shouldn’t have given myself to you last night…”

“Don’t even _say_ that, Maddie! Did you not enjoy it?”

She looked at him coquettishly out of the corner of her eye. “I’m not sayin’ that.”

“Well, then, what _are_ you sayin’? That we just not think about it or, God forbid, we not do it again? ‘Cause I might have a problem with the latter, or hell, with the whole thing entirely.”

Maddie smiled over at him. “You lustful swine.” She drew her attention back to the cattle and at the world around her with a dreamy sigh; her eyes glazed over with reminiscence. “It _was_ wonderful, was it not?”

He nodded enthusiastically.

She laughed and shook her head. “My previous statement still stands, Jack Marston. If I believed in goin’ to church, I’d sent your ass straight there for some purification.”

“Oh, to hell with that.”

“My thoughts exactly, my love,” she agreed and looked him in the eyes. Her brown ovals shimmered with delight and endless affection. She held out her hand for him, and as he took it, she said, “I’m glad I stayed. I belong with you, anyways.”

“My thoughts exactly, my love,” he repeated and held her hand tighter.

 

*             *             *

 

Later that evening, when the cattle and Féileacán were driven back into the corral for the night and their horses were unsaddled and turned out with the rest of the livestock, Maddie and Jack walked hand-in-hand out of the barn and towards the house. As they neared the porch, though, Maddie tugged on his arm and led him instead to the gazebo. They sat down closely to one another. Jack watched her look out at the ranch and smile.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she asked proudly. “We did this, you and I. We built it back to what it once was, just us two. Isn’t that something?” She looked back at him and stared into his eyes.

He nodded and scooted closer to her. Letting go of her hand, he brought his arm up and over her shoulder, resting it on the railing of the gazebo with his hand closing around her right shoulder. He kissed her cheek and brought her closer to him. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

She sighed with contentment and rested her head on his shoulder. “I know, and I was glad to help. Truly. Now look at it. Beecher’s Hope is strong and alive once more.”

They were silent for a time as they listened to the crickets chirp and the nocturnal animals begin to stir about. They watched as the sun began to dip down past the horizon and splash a beautiful sunset against the sky.

“So what happens now, Jack?”

He looked down at her and smirked. He half-shrugged and shook his head. “Don’t know. You got any ideas?”

She smiled brightly up at him. “I have one, but I don’t think we’re ready for it yet.”

He furrowed his brow and blinked. “What are you talkin’ about?”

She held out her left hand to him, looked pointedly down at her bare ring finger, and grinned.

His eyes widened. “Oh. That.”

She laughed and leaned against him lovingly. “Yes, that.” Her tone changed to a more serious one as she looked back into his eyes with sincere concern and curiosity. “Unless…you don’t want that.”

He kissed her softly in reassurance. “Oh, believe me, I do. It’s just…I wasn’t expectin’ that is all.”

“I see.”

“I’m serious, Maddie. I want that.”

“Then let’s make it happen…but after a while. How does that sound to you?”

He kissed her forehead. “Sounds wonderful.”

“Great! In the meantime…” She trailed off as she leaned up and kissed him passionately, taking him by surprise. Her hands traveled up and down his front, making him sigh. As she pulled away, she smiled playfully up at him. She stood up and took his hand.

“I like where this is goin’,” he said breathlessly as he let her lead him into the house and straight to their bedroom.


	38. Visitations and Admonitions

The rest of summer was spent in happiness and hard work for Maddie and Jack as they tended to the livestock. During the day, they watched over the herd; during the evening, they’d sit on the porch and enjoy a smoke and a drink as they enjoyed each other’s company. To Maddie’s delight and pride, Jack began to write once more, and often, he’d write beside her on the bench as she read a book in silence. She helped him restart his autobiography he’d always wished to put onto paper, and under her keen eye for grammar, sentence structure, and voice, his writing soared and became much more interesting than the books she sat reading to pass the time. With a cigar in one hand and a glass of whiskey or scotch in the other, she sat beside him reading over his shoulder as he wrote frantically, hoping to get his thoughts into his journal before they galloped away from his muse and out across the plains.

Almost every afternoon, after the cattle and Féileacán were driven back into the fence and watered, the couple rode fence and otherwise went for joyrides across the plains. Often, they raced their horses down the road that led to Blackwater, but they turned their horses around and raced back home.

Towards the end of July, their work was doubled when the cows began to calf and newborns blessed their ranch with their presence. The cattle were fiercely looked after as the couple sorted out the cows who were soon to be calving from the others. The cows who did show signs pregnancy were confined to the corral and barn while the rest were in the fence that surrounded the property. Within a week, they’d been blessed with eight calves. Jack and Maddie kept a keen watch over the newborns; wolves and cougars prowled about and were a constant threat, so they each carried a repeater and a pistol as they went about making sure the calves were standing and nursing as soon as possible.

Despite the heavy work load, Jack and Maddie were happy and busy. As they rode fence together late one evening to make sure no predators were on the property, their mirth was doubled when they found Drew and Bonnie sitting atop their horses before the front gate.

Jack pulled up his loping palomino to a stop behind the gate. Maddie stopped Gypsy beside him seconds later. He looked over at her with a baffled expression, to which she mirrored, before he looked back at their guests. “It’s good to see you! What brings you here, if you don’t mind me askin’?”

“You haven’t called in quite a while,” Drew explained atop his buckskin gelding. “Bonnie and I figured somethin’ went wrong, so we decided to ride up here and check up on you two. Last I heard, you and Maddie weren’t on the best of terms.” He motioned to him and the beautiful woman who sat atop her black mare beside him with a nod. He grinned widely, his teeth peeking out from underneath his white mustache. “And now look at ya. An inseparable pair of love birds.”

Maddie and Jack exchanged loving grins before they reached out to one another and held hands.

Bonnie grinned at her father in a victorious way and leaned over in the saddle to elbow him in the ribs. Her grey mare flicked back her ears in irritation but otherwise didn’t move. “What did I tell you?” She turned her attention to the young couple before them and smiled brightly, her blue eyes glistening with rapture. “I’ve never been happier for you two than I am now.” She gestured before them to the house and barn. “And just look at this place! Jack, your ranch is lookin’ wonderful!”

Jack beamed at her. “Thank you, Bonnie.” He squeezed Maddie’s hand as he glanced at her. “I couldn’t have done it without her, ya know. I won’t be able to repay her for all the things she’s helped me with.”

The couple stared lovingly into each other’s eyes.

“Alright, you two,” Drew teased. “Can we come in already? I want to see just how well you’ve fixed up this place.”

“Of course!” Jack said and dismounted. He unlatched the gate and pulled it open, letting his guests onto his property. He closed the gate and latched it once more before mounting back up and leading the group to the barn, where Bonnie and Drew hitched their horses in front while he and Maddie unsaddled their horses and turned them out alongside the cattle and Féileacán.

Hand in hand, he and Maddie led their guests around Beecher’s Hope, showing off their success and progress into the calving season. They showed them the house, the barn and corral.

“Why don’t ya’ll come in for a drink or two?” Jack suggested and motioned to the house after the tour was over.

He blinked and followed Drew’s and Bonnie’s gazes up the hill that overlooked the ranch. He frowned, feeling his heart flinch with sadness as he realized what they were staring at. With unspoken consent, he led them up the hill and stood back a step as Drew and Bonnie came forward to pay their respects to John and Abigail’s graves.

Drew took off his hat as he approached; a sad frown tugged the corners of his mustache down as he looked down at John’s grave marker. He shook his head and sighed, his shoulders sagging. “I just can’t believe he’s been gone for ‘bout five years. Time sure flies, doesn’t it?”

Beside him, his daughter clung to his arm. She nodded and sniffed. “It sure does, Daddy,” she murmured, her voice choked and strained from her sorrow. She wiped away the tears that escaped down her face.

“Yeah, that ain’t no shit,” Jack grumbled, feeling a disappointed, sorrowful countenance contort his face into a saddened grimace. He furrowed his brow and stood back a few steps, letting his guests go forward, but he still felt the old familiar sting of regret, depression, and anger surge through him. He bowed his head and sighed, letting the breeze upon the hill caress his face and hair and lazily toss his duster about behind him. Though he felt the tears accumulate in his eyes, he refused to let them slip past his control and down his face. He sniffed and shifted his weight from foot to foot.

A comforting hand slid down his arm and intertwined itself with his. Jack looked down at Maddie and gave a weak grin of appreciation as she stepped closer to him and rested her cheek against his shoulder. She looked up at him with concern.

“You okay?”

He nodded reassuringly but his frown betrayed him. He bit down on his lip and gripped her hand tight.

“You miss them, don’t you?”

Again, he nodded.

She slid her hand out of his and wrapped her arm around his waist. “They’ll always be here, Jack. They’re watchin’ over you and your ranch. In a way, they never really left you, darlin’.”

“Yeah, but I just wish they were here to see this.” He motioned down to the thriving ranch with a nod. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I wish they could’ve met you.”

She released him and stepped closer to Drew and Bonnie. Her eyes fell to the graves of her lover’s parents. She read the inscription carved into the grave markers carefully before stepping closer and kneeling between them. She looked from Abigail’s grave to John’s. She remained there for a time, half-heartedly listening to Bonnie’s sniffling and Drew’s low murmuring and the scuffing of Jack’s boots on the ground as he shifted his weight from time to time. Only when Jack’s hand came to rest on her shoulder did she rise; it was only then that she realized Drew and Bonnie were heading down to the house.

Jack wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “C’mon, let’s head down there. “

Returning the affectionate touch, she wrapped her arm around his waist and cuddled against his chest. “I’m sorry, Jack.”

He blinked. “For what?”

She looked back down at his parents’ graves and sighed. “For your loss, for your turmoil, and for havin’ to deal with the constant reminder of it all.”

He didn’t know what to say to her, so instead, he pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. They descended the hill and met Bonnie and Drew in front of the house. He released his arm from Maddie’s shoulders as they came closer to their guests and, he walked up the porch steps and was about to enter the house to retrieve something strong to drink when he was stopped by a most interesting proposal.

“Hey, Marston!” Drew called out. “What do you say we play some horseshoes? I bet you five bucks I win.”

Jack’s hand hovered before the door knob, and he grinned back at Drew over his shoulder. He turned and faced his older friend with a confident smile. “You’re on, old timer!”

As Jack and Drew fetched the horseshoes from the barn, Maddie and Bonnie went inside to grab some sun tea Maddie had made earlier that day. As the men started their game, they went back outside and sat at the gazebo to watch them and catch up over their drinks.

Bonnie shook her head as she lifted her glass to her lips. She took a sip as she looked around the ranch with a large, sweeping gaze. “My Lord, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful homestead. Maddie, you’ve got it made here, you know that?” She turned her attention to her younger friend and grinned.

Maddie set her glass down on the table and returned the grin. “I never thought I’d see the day where I’d be settlin’ down like this, but here I am, enjoyin’ the simple life with a man I never thought I’d end up bein’ with.”

Her elder cocked a facetious eyebrow and glanced at her sideways. Her grin widened and a strange glint entered her blue eyes as she asked, “And have you thought about other, more important things to come?”

Maddie blinked. “Like what?”

Their attention was momentarily snagged as a resounding metallic clang permeated the air around the ranch. They looked over at the horseshoe pit and watched as Jack stood proudly before his older adversary with his arms crossed over his chest. On the opposite side of the pit, one of Jack’s horseshoes sat right before the stake while the other was close.

“How do you like _that_ , Mister MacFarlane?” Jack boasted. “First ringer of the game, and I’m not even warmed up yet!”

“Plenty big talk for such a small boy,” Drew shot back. A confident smile settled across his lips despite Jack’s advances in the game. He rested his mighty hands on his hips and took his position in the pit. “Just you wait and see. I’ve got more years and experience than you and know my way around this game like a horse knows his way around a water trough.”

Jack threw back his head and guffawed. He glanced back at Maddie and gestured to his winning horseshoe with a victorious wave of his hand. “Maddie, look at this! First one to get a ringer! That right there is what’s known as some great skill and coordination!” He crossed his arms over his chest once more.

He looked almost boyish to Maddie as she laughed and shook her head. “Jack, honey, you have the coordination of a drunken three-legged mule.”

His jaw dropped in feign offense. “Just you wait and see, Maddie! I’ll prove to you and Drew that I’m _damn_ good at horseshoes!”

“I’ll believe it when I see it, darlin’,” Maddie said with a loving sneer.

Across the table from her, Bonnie covered her mouth as she giggled.

Jack gave her and Bonnie a cross look before he shook his head and waved his hand dismissively at them. “Women!” he said exasperatedly before he turned his attention back to the game. He stepped out of the ring just as Drew pulled back his arm with his first horseshoe in hand.

“So,” Bonnie started back up as she and her friend looked away from the game. She flashed her eyebrows at her and waited for an answer.

Maddie blinked. “So…what?” She lifted her tea to her lips and drank.

“You still haven’t answered my question. Have you thought about more important things to come?”

Maddie lowered the tea for a brief second in-between sips. “Such as?”

“Have you and Jack considered marriage?”

She nearly choked on her drink; she set her glass back down and swallowed, her eyes wide as she stared at her friend.

Bonnie leaned in closer, eyes boring into hers. “Well?”

“He hasn’t asked me, and to be honest, I don’t think we’re quite ready for that just yet.” She felt her cheeks burn as she looked away distractedly at Jack and Drew. She grinned momentarily as Jack threw up his hands in exasperation as Drew threw a great toss and then a ringer. She felt her heart flutter as she watched transfixed at the way her lover stormed over to the other side of the ring and picked up his horseshoes; she blushed deeper as he bent over and her eyes snagged on his backside. She jerked her attention back down to the glass of sun tea she held in her hands and bit down on her lip.

“Ah, look at you. You’re in love with that boy, and don’t you go denyin’ it.”

“I’m not denyin’ it, Bonnie. I’m just not ready to get married.”

Bonnie gestured around them with a flick of her hand. “Look at this place, Maddie. You’ve helped build a life here together, and look at how happy you two are!”

Maddie looked off to the side and frowned. “Yes, but I wanted to be more than a rancher’s wife…or at least, I _thought_ I was, back when I was still going on bounty hunts.”

“You mean you quit?”

Maddie shrugged and looked her friend in the eyes. “I’ve considered it, but it’s all I really know, besides ranching. I miss the thrill of it, and the pay is great. If all else fails and the ranch hits hard times, there’s always bounty hunting that needs doing. And I’ll do just that.”

Bonnie cocked an eyebrow and tucked her chin down slightly. “And what does Jack have to say about that? Have you spoken to him about any of this?”

She sighed; her eyes darted off to the side. “No, not yet. I just don’t like the idea of bein’ stuck in one place.”

Bonnie reached across the table and placed a hand atop her friends’. “Honey, listen to me: this _is_ your home, so why run away? You don’t need to be a drifter anymore, darlin’, not when you’ve got a good man to come home to and a ranch that needs runnin’. You goin’ on bounty hunts doesn’t make much sense to me.”

Maddie looked off to the side, still unsure. The flame of rebellion and freedom still surged within her; the wild filly was still not completely tamed. “I can’t just hang my hat up, Bonnie. Not now…probably not ever. It’s just not who I am.”

“I know, Madeline, but trust me when I say this: you and Jack will be a _lot_ happier and safer if you quit that business.” Her thumb caressed the top of her hand as she said, “Just remember what happened the last time you tried to bring in a bounty. Maddie, I’m just worried for you is all. You’re not invincible, you know.”

“I know that now, Bonnie,” she answered in a pained, honest whisper as she locked gazes with her. “My… _deflowering_ …has changed me, but now I know I need to be more conscious of how brutal men are. I just need to focus more on—”

“ _You need to focus on you and Jack_ ,” Bonnie interjected and gripped her hand fiercely. “Enough of such nonsense! Yes, you are a bounty hunter, and yes, you’re a free spirit, but you need to focus on what you’ve got goin’ for you here at this ranch. Jack needs you here: he can’t run this place by himself without worryin’ about when or if you’ll ever come back home to him. So _please_ reconsider, at least for the time bein’. If Jack agrees to let you go back to huntin’, then so be it, but he’d better be there with you, and that it’s not far from home, either.”

“I’ll do what I please, Bonnie.” She pulled her hand out from under her friend’s. “I won’t submit myself to bein’ a housewife that my mother found herself bein’.”

“My mother was that very same way, Maddie, as was my grandmother. It is the way of things, and you know it’s our duty to keep food on the table and the house in a good way and carry on our legacies. If we didn’t do all those things, you _know_ those men wouldn’t know what to do with themselves. You know me: I’d rather not do some of the things I’m forced to do, but that’s just how it works in the world of women. You know as well as I do it’s our unfortunate responsibility to care for the ones we love and the things we own.”

“Jack doesn’t need to be taken care of.”

Bonnie cocked an eyebrow and tucked her chin down at her. “That’s a lie and you know it. He’d be dead in a ditch if it wasn’t for you and me lookin’ after him. At the end of the day, when all is said and done, who’s keepin’ it all together and runnin’?” She gestured to herself and to her friend. “Us. Women.”

“So, what are you saying, Bonnie? That I just become the woman my mother didn’t want me to be? That I just fall into the hands of fate and let it take me to whatever unfortunate destiny while I sit idly by?”

“I’m sayin’ you need to make sure the life you and Jack isn’t wasted or cast aside like it has been so many times before. You live a rich life here, Maddie. You have a man who adores you and would do anything for you in a heartbeat. Cherish that fact, and cherish him and everything he does for you, and he will do the same.”

Maddie’s eyes widened in revelation. “You’re sayin’ this because of what happened with you and Nathaniel, aren’t you?”

Bonnie bit down on her lip and looked away in guilt and shame. She sighed greatly, her shoulders sagging from the exhalation. “You don’t know how lucky you are, Madeline. You’re like a daughter to me, and all I want is to see you happy.”

Maddie’s eyes softened with empathy. “But you want what I have…don’t you?”

Her lip quivered as she nodded and looked away. She blinked rapidly and stared at Drew and Jack as they continued to play their game. The thump of the horseshoes collapsing into the sand pits and the occasional clangs of ringers sounded. Overhead, birds chirped and sang. Nearby, the herd of cattle grazed, several heifers lowing and breaking the silence.

Maddie clasped her friend’s hand and whispered, “I’m sorry, Bonnie. I’ll do everything I can to make sure Jack and I are happy. I promise you this.”

Troubled but otherwise showing her appreciation, the older woman turned her head and smiled weakly at her. She turned her hand upwards to intertwine her fingers with her younger friend’s. “That is all I want to hear, Madeline. I wish you all the best in your life together.”

Maddie squeezed back and smiled. “Thank you.”

“What are you two gossipin’ hens cluckin’ about over there?” Jack called from beside the horseshoe pit. He stood facing the women with a dubious but curious expression, his eyebrows narrowed in suspicion.

“Lady talk, that’s all,” Maddie answered back and grinned sweetly.

He blinked and stared at them blankly.

“Which means let it be and go back to your game, boy,” Bonnie admonished. She rested her elbow on the table as she pointed at him and added, “But you’ll soon be hearin’ an ear-full from me, Mister Marston, make no mistake about that!”

His eyes widened a small fraction. He turned and watched Drew as he threw his third and final shoe. He leaned in closer and murmured, “What the hell are they talkin’ about, do you figure?”

Drew chuckled as he stepped out of the pit and beckoned Jack to take his turn. “Son, even at my age, I _still_ ask myself that very same question. It’s hard tellin’ when you get those two together. Hell, they might as well be speakin’ a different language.”

Jack stepped into the pit and drew back his arm, holding the horseshoe with practiced ease. Yet he couldn’t concentrate, and he found he was quickly losing his lead when both of his shoes didn’t fall where he’d intended them to. He sighed and straightened from his bent stance; he shook his head, baffled and disappointed in his performance.

“It’s drivin’ me nuts,” he commented in a frustrated growl.

“I wouldn’t worry over it too much, there, Jack,” Drew reassured as he walked to the other side and retrieved his shoes. “Women tend to drive men crazy. Hell, it’s a skill they get when they’re young, and it only gets better as they age.” He glanced down at their shoes and silently tallied up their points. He looked up at his younger adversary and grinned. “What you _should_ be worryin’ about is losin’ to me. Get your head back in the game, son, or else you’ll owe me money.”

“Oh, hush it, old timer. I’ll make a loser out of you yet, just wait and see.”

Drew grinned at his statement and gestured to the game at hand. “Then let me see you do it, kid. Last round. Make them tosses count, now.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

His last two throws didn’t improve, and when Drew threw his shoes, it was all he could do to keep calm. The older man threw his last shoe; it struck against the steel rod with a clamoring ring.

Jack threw his hands up. “Oh, you’ve _gotta_ be kidding me! How? How?!”

“Oh, just some skill and coordination is all it took, boy!” Drew chuckled back as he walked up to him and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “You forget I’ve been doin’ this far longer than you have. Now,” he gestured with an open hand, “that’ll be five dollars.”

Jack rolled his eyes and sighed as he reached into his pockets and withdrew the money. He slapped it into the elder man’s hand and said, “Alright, alright, stop rubbin’ it in, Mister MacFarlane.”

Drew pocketed the cash with a victorious grin. “Better luck next time, son. I’d practice up if I were you if you ever wanna win this back.”

He shook his head and waved a dismissive hand at him, not caring. “I’m not too worried over five bucks, Drew. But next time around, I _will_ beat you, I swear it.”

“We’ll see, son. We’ll see.”

With his head bowed, he followed Drew up to the gazebo where the women sat watching. Avoiding his beloved’s gaze, he sat down heavily beside her and looked out across the property. He frowned when he felt her hand lovingly grasping his bicep and scooted closer to him.

“So, Jack, darlin’,” she began with a sly chuckle, “tell me how that game went.”

“Hush it.”

Across from him and Maddie, Drew and Bonnie sat chuckling and watching them. “Go on, tell her,” Drew insisted with a wide smile.

He folded his arms across his chest and shook his head. “Nope. Not gonna happen.”

Maddie leaned her head against his shoulder. “Come on, Jack.”

“No.”

“You sore loser, you.”

Once the laughter had died down, Drew asked, “So, Jack, now that things are goin’ steady, what are your future plans?”

Jack blinked and uncrossed his arms. “What do you mean, mister?”

Father and daughter exchanged grins before returning their attention to him. “I think you know what he means, Jack,” Bonnie piped in with a perceptive smirk.

Jack’s eyes widened and his cheeks reddened. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and chuckled with embarrassment. “Drew, Bonnie, c’mon. Please. We’ve only been here for about three months or so. It’s a wonder she’s stayed here with me.”

Maddie rested a hand on his arm and smiled mischievously at him. “Yes, it’s truly a wonder I didn’t kill you all these weeks livin’ with you and workin’ my ass off for you and your ranch.” She shook his arm playfully before looking at their elders. “Things have been…tough these past couple months, but rest assured, everything’s fine.”

“Oh, I can see that,” Drew laughed. “You’re practically hangin’ off him, girl.”

Maddie blushed and averted her gaze.

“Which brings me to what I was tellin’ you earlier, Mister Marston,” Bonnie added in a more serious tone. Her eyebrows narrowed dangerously. “I don’t see a r—”

“Bonnie, _please!”_ Maddie interjected. “We haven’t been together long enough to even _consider_ that, so would you _please_ not ask of such things right now?”

Jack took the opportunity to give her a thankful smile during the short break of silence.

“Besides,” Drew offered, “these two young ones are probably so busy with these calves and whatnot. And since it’s _not our business_ ,” he gripped his daughter’s arm and gave her a stern look, “about what goes on between these two, it’s best we let it be.”

“Thank you,” the couple chorused gratefully.

Bonnie folded her arms and frowned darkly at Jack. “Ya’ll know what I’m gonna say, but just to be clear, Jack Marston, it still stands.”

“There’s no rush, Bonnie,” Drew said and elbowed her in the side. “Hush it, now.”

She looked away and scowled.

After a time of small-talk and laughter, the four friends retired inside for supper and sleep. Jack showed his guests their rooms; Bonnie took what used to be Uncle’s room, while Drew slept in Jack’s room. When morning came, they congregated in the kitchen, made breakfast, and ate in the dining room.

Before long, Drew and Bonnie decided it best they head back to their ranch. After their horses were saddled, the four said goodbye and embraced one another, promising to keep in touch and wishing for the best. With heavy hearts and longing glances, the MacFarlanes mounted up and rode out, stopping at the gate to open and close it and wave one last goodbye to their younger friends before disappearing down the road.

Jack and Maddie resumed their normal routine by saddling up their horses and driving the cattle out to pasture. The cows with calves remained in the corral while the others were turned out to graze several miles east of Beecher’s Hope. They didn’t keep the cattle out for long, as they spotted several cows showing signs of calving, so as fast as they would allow, they drove the herd back to the safety of the ranch and sorted out the calving heifers from the rest and herded them into the corral and barn alongside the cattle with young ones. Within four to five hours, they helped a heifer deliver her first calf, and several hours later, another baby was born. After another hour, when there was no sign of any other deliveries, Jack and Maddie rode fence to make sure no predator was stalking the property.

As they circled the entire fence and came back toward the barn, they spotted a lone rider waiting before the gate. They turned their horses and spurred them down the road. The horses blew loudly and bobbed their heads as Jack and Maddie pulled their mounts to a stop before the gate. From the looks of it, their guest had ridden to Beecher’s Hope in a hurry: a slight covering of trail dust coated his tailored suit and hat, and his dapple-grey gelding stood sweating and panting with his head hung low. Archer Fordham looked haggard and worried, despite his usual professional countenance.

“Mister Fordham,” Maddie greeted with an amicable smile, “what a pleasant surprise! You’re our second guest this week! What brings you here, old friend?”

In a gentlemanly gesture, Archer took off his hat and rested it atop the saddle horn. “If it’s alright with you, I’d like to discuss it with you inside.” He nodded past them to the house.

“Of course,” Jack said and dismounted. He opened the gate and mounted back up as Archer walked his tired horse onto the property. The three rode their horses to the barn in silence. They dismounted, and as Jack and Maddie hitched their horses, Archer led his mount into the corral to let him drink his fill from the water trough. As the horse quenched his thirst, the trio turned and looked at each other blankly.

“Well?” Jack asked and motioned to Archer with a hand. “What brings you here? And what’s with the secrecy?”

Archer took a moment to acknowledge the work he and Maddie had accomplished. He craned his head up as he studied the barn, then swiveled his head around the entire perimeter. “Mighty fine work you and Miss Ross have done, Mister Marston. No doubt your father and mother would be proud.”

Jack inclined his head and shifted his weight from foot to foot.

Maddie looked their guest over carefully. Her eyebrows scrunched as she noted the tense way he stood and the downcast, worried frown upon his thin lips. “What’s wrong, Archer? You seem…troubled.”

“It’s about you two. Word travels fast in Blackwater. Gossip isn’t hard to come by in that town, as I’m sure you two know, so when I heard stories of a woman riding around with Mister Marston, I knew it had to be you, Maddie. I honestly didn’t think you’d settle here with him after all was said and done, but I suppose it’s rather fitting.” He motioned to her and Jack with a nod and smirked. “You two _do_ seem quite happy together, anyways.”

“Thank you, Archer. He does seem to be quite perfect for me, even if he’s a stubborn jack-ass.” She affectionately jostled Jack’s shoulder, to which he grinned down at her and responded in kind.

Archer’s grin faded. “Your father doesn’t think so, Madeline. I’ve seen him in the saloon lately, and from what I’ve been hearing in that godforsaken place…If what people say is true, he plans to do something about you two, especially Jack.” He looked at him pointedly with a flash of his eyebrows and an ominous nod. “He knows what you’ve done, and so far, all I’ve heard is talk from him, but I think he intends to do more than that.”

Jack and Maddie exchanged panicked looks.

“Can’t you do somethin’ about it?” Jack asked.

“Not without probable cause. There’s been no such proof of him coming up with a plan, much less acting upon it. It’s all been hearsay so far.”

“But he must’ve made threats. That should be more than enough probable cause right there, shouldn’t it?”

Archer shook his head. “No, not exactly. Granted, he’s spent his fair share of nights in the saloon talking up a storm and otherwise drinking himself to oblivion. His wife hasn’t been too happy with him, especially since I’ve been having to bring him home after he starts getting rousy and pushing people in the saloon. Maddie, I’m afraid your father has once again become the drunken fool he used to be.”

Maddie sighed and bowed her head. “I knew he’d go back to the bottle someday.”

Archer nodded. “The poor bastard’s been trying to tell people who killed his brother, but no one wants to listen to a drunken old fool babble on about what they think as fake conspiracies. I’ve tried helping him, Miss Ross, but he refuses it all and just keeps going back to the bottle.”

“So what should be done about it then?” Jack asked.

“I’ll tell you what needs to be done,” Maddie said boldly and crossed her arms across her chest. “I’ll go into town and beat some sense into that drunken bastard.”

“Maddie, no!” Jack said. “You’re _not_ gonna confront him, especially when he’ll be too drunk to understand a damn thing. You’re _not_ goin’ anywhere near that fool, not without me.”

“Yes, because comin’ along with me is an even better idea! He’s _my_ father and I’ll deal with him however I please! You just stay here while I go punch some sense into that idiot’s head!” With a determined scowl, she turned, walked out the corral, and strolled up to the left side of her horse.

“Maddie, don’t!” Jack shouted as he and Archer followed her. He ran up to her and grabbed her by the arm, refraining her from mounting up. “I can’t just let you go there all alone to try to talk some sense into—”

“Jack, let go of my arm!”

“Maddie, _please_ , just _listen to me!”_

“ENOUGH, both of you!” Archer commanded. He looked at Maddie sharply. “Maddie, don’t even _think_ about confronting your father. It’s best you don’t go looking for him and starting up a fight. There’s no sense in starting something that can easily be avoided.”

“So what do you suggest?” Maddie snapped.

“I think it’s best you leave the area for a while. That, and I can offer you protection.”

“Just throw the bastard in jail!” Jack shouted exasperatedly and threw up his hands. “That’s protection right there!”

“Jack, I can’t legally do that,” Archer countered and narrowed his eyebrows.

He reeled towards him and stepped aggressively forward. “Well, that is bullshit, since you and the rest of you goddamned lawmen were _more than happy_ to sidestep around a few rules and shatter a family and murder one of them in cold blood!”

“Jack!” Maddie chastised and grabbed his arm.

He shrugged her hand off. “ _NO!_ I am NOT gonna leave my ranch just because of some back-talkin’ drunken son of a bitch! I’ve worked too goddamned hard and sacrificed too fuckin’ much to just leave what we’ve built back up! I’m NOT gonna abandon this ranch, not when it’s _our home!_ Who the hell does he think he is, to just up and ruin our lives like this? I know I’ve made terrible mistakes, and I know I’ve wrecked your family, Maddie, but that’s over with and done now! I’m pardoned of all that shit, and he picks _now_ of all fuckin’ times to ruin it for you and me? I’m sorry, Maddie, but I’m NOT gonna let one man take our freedom and happiness away from us, even if he is your father! If he wants to face me and come fight me here on my land, then let him come, because I got no problem defendin’ my land from idiots like him who think they can just take whatever they want! I am NOT gonna let ANYTHING or ANYONE ELSE be taken from me, NOT AGAIN!”

Archer and Maddie stood transfixed and frightened. They exchanged dubious expressions and remained silent for a moment while Jack stood seething and clenching his hands into fists.

“Then it’s settled,” Archer murmured at last. “I know I can’t change your mind, Jack, and yes, you are right: you have every right to defend your property from any sort of threat, but still...be careful.” He paused to look them both in the eyes, before he nodded and put his hat back on. “I think it’s best I take my leave now.” He retrieved his horse from the corral. He mounted up outside of the fence and looked down at the young couple with worry. “Keep a sharp eye out for Phillip. Be careful, and don’t underestimate him. He may be a drunken fool, but he can be a crafty bastard when he’s sober…that is, if he’s even sober nowadays.” With an encouraging and finalizing nod, he reined his horse around and loped away, pausing to dismount and close the gate after he passed through. Mounting back up, he waved one final goodbye before he turned and spurred his horse into a gallop down the road that led to town.

Jack and Maddie stood staring after the government agent. The second he was no longer in their sight, Jack turned and angrily stormed back to his horse. His hands worked quickly and aggressively as he unsaddled his horse in silence. Maddie unsaddled her horse as well, watching him all the while. The moment their horses were free of their tack, Jack stomped towards the house. Maddie jogged up to him and fell into step beside him as he made his way towards the porch.

“You okay?” she asked carefully.

“Fuck no, I’m not okay!” His boots thundered on the wooden porch steps, and the door squealed as he wretched it open and stormed inside.

Maddie quietly closed the door behind her and looked him over with empathetic concern. As he ripped off his boots and shrugged off his duster, she approached him hesitantly and rested her hands on his chest. “Jack, honey, it’ll be all right.”

“No, it won’t! Why is it that _every time_ things start lookin’ up that somethin’ bad _has_ to happen? This happens _every…fucking…time!”_ He threw his duster aside, not even caring to hang it up on the coat rack beside the door. “Don’t you see, Madeline? Things will NEVER be all right while you, me, and your father are alive and breathin’! There’s ALWAYS gonna be a blood feud between our families, no matter what we do. It doesn’t matter that we’re together, because in Phillip’s eyes, he sees that as the ultimate betrayal on your part and an even bigger farce on mine! It’s no wonder he wants me dead: I’ve killed his brother, and now I’ve taken his daughter away from him.”

Maddie recoiled and winced at the acidic truth of his words. “So what are you suggesting? That we go our separate ways?”

His eyes widened as he realized his mistake, and he took her hands in his and hastily replied, “No, darlin’, that’s not what I meant. I’m just sayin’ that—”

“Jack, I love you,” she professed as she looked him sincerely in the eyes. Her grip on his hands tightened as she felt tears begin to brew in her eyes. “If that’s what you’re suggestin’ we do, then what has this all been, if in vain? Jack, you’ve saved me in all the ways that a person can be saved. You’ve made me into a better woman, and I…I’d hoped to return the favor to you someday, in the only way I truly can.”

He blinked. “And how would that be?”

She smiled softly and pulled him closer so that their bodies touched. “How else do you think?” she breathed as she slid her hands up his front and wrapped them around his neck. Her nose brushed against his as she pulled him in even closer. Her lips caressed his ever so slightly, and she smiled when she looked up into his eyes and saw understanding dash across them.

“I thought you said you didn’t want that just yet.”

“Indeed, I did, but…”

He wrapped his arms around her waist. “But what?”

Pain once again entered her eyes, and she stepped back out of his embrace. “You’re right, Jack. So long as we’re together and my father’s loose in Blackwater drunk on rage and whiskey, things won’t be settled.”

“He’s _not_ gonna ruin what we have and what we’ve worked for, Madeline.” Jack pulled her back to him and wrapped his arms around her. He stared deep into her eyes, and he saw a myriad of troubling emotions: doubt, worry, love, hatred, fear. He kissed her softly. “Whatever happens, however this all goes down, it’ll be settled. One way or another, things will straighten out. We’ll be happy once again, trust me.”

The doubt he’d first seen in her eyes lingered there as she looked up at him and gave him a weak smile. She nodded and kissed him back as passionately as she could, though Jack knew she wasn’t fully confident in his words. He could tell by the way her lips moved against his that a part of her doubted the future of both her father and theirs, and when they went to bed later that night, he could tell that it still plagued her. It bothered him just as much, and when they laid in bed together, when nothing came of it except troubled sleep, he instinctively knew things would never quite be the same, so long as Phillip Ross was out there thirsting for his blood and for the return of his daughter.


	39. Culmination

_He was standing outside the double barn doors, frozen still by the threat of the polished gun pointing at his face. The light from the afternoon sun glinted off the shining firearm, momentarily blinding him, but in the next second, he could see Madeline standing between him and the enraged gunman._

_“Maddie, MOVE!” someone yelled._

_“No!” she replied and shielded Jack completely from the man._

_“Then you leave me with no choice.”_

_A loud gunshot deafened all in the next second. Jack screamed as Maddie fell. Before she crumpled to the earth, he caught her and held her close as the life faded from her eyes. Jack looked up at the gunman, who was finally visible to him, and as Phillip Ross strolled up to him with his gun pointed at his forehead, he watched the gun being cocked and fired._

Jack shot up in bed and sat panting as he processed what had only been a nightmare instead of what he feared as reality. A sheen of sweat accumulated across his quivering body. He ran a hand across his face and exhaled deeply.

“Jesus Christ,” he swore softly. Frightened and seeking proof she was still alive and lying next to him, he turned and reached for her warm, curvy body.

His hand fell on an empty side of the bed. Where Madeline once lay, cold sheets covered the mattress. Jack’s heart skipped a beat as he looked around the bedroom and saw no sign of her, not even her clothes, and with a gasp, he threw back the covers and leapt out of bed. In the dark, he dressed and silently prayed to whatever higher power above that she hadn’t acted upon his worst fear. At the foot of the bed, Django jumped awake and watched as his master walked out the room; the dog followed, his claws clicking a rhythm on the wooden floor.

 _Please be here, please be here, please be here_ , Jack thought as he stumbled into the hallway and through the living room. As he reached the kitchen, he stopped and let out a sigh of relief.

Dawn’s grey light filtered through the kitchen windows, silhouetting her sitting at the table with a cup of steaming coffee in her hands. Her long hair blanketed her back and arms. She wore her bounty hunting outfit but had set her hat down upon the table on its crown. She stared out one of the kitchen windows with a somber, faraway gaze, her eyes red and puffy. A conflicted frown plagued her lips. She sniffed and wiped fresh tears from her eyes with her fingers before running her hand across her face. She set her face in a more classical countenance of a cold mask that Jack instantly recognized.

None of it fooled him, however, as he walked quietly up to her and rested his hands on her shoulders. Django followed and sat down beside Maddie’s chair, resting his muzzle on her leg.

“You’re up early,” Jack murmured.

“I’m always up early,” she reasoned, her words faint. She sniffed again and sipped her coffee. The steam caressed her face as she drank. She returned her gaze to the window.

“Well, yeah, but usually not this early. The sun isn’t even up yet.”

As he bent down to kiss her cheek, he grew disheartened when she leaned away slightly and did nothing to reciprocate his affection. Slightly offended by her reaction, he withdrew his hands from her and retreated to the stove, where the coffee pot sat, and he took his time pouring himself a cup. As he sat down at the table across from her, he looked her over carefully as he took a few thoughtful sips. He set his cup down quietly.

“You okay?”

Maddie sniffed once again and took up her cup with both hands. Her elbows rested on the table as she brought the cup before her lips but didn’t drink. Instead, she looked at him through the tendrils of steam with the most pained and frightened expression he’d ever seen from her.

Jack leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table as well. “I thought you left.”

“For a while there, so did I.” She sighed and set her coffee back down onto the table. At last, she looked down at Django and smirked slightly when the dog pawed at her leg. She reached down and petted his head reassuringly.

“Did you get any sleep?”

“Hardly,” she said somberly. She continued to pet the black and white pup as she looked back up at him. “How could I, after what we said last night, after what we both know what needs to be done? I laid there wonderin’ what to do. I debated for the longest time, but I knew I had to make a choice. So I did. I got up, I got dressed, and I kissed you goodbye. I was grateful you were out cold, because I knew I wouldn’t be able to face you when you woke, so I turned and headed for the door.” She frowned deeply and shook her head. “But no matter how many times I tried to convince myself what I was doing was the right thing, I couldn’t open that door. I just stood there starin’ at it. So, after fighting with myself for God knows how long, I just gave up, came in here, and made coffee.”

Jack reached across the table and took her hand in his. “I’m glad you changed your mind.”

“Yes, but now look at me. I’m a fool, Jack Marston. I’m a fool for thinkin’ this will all pan out like we want, and I’m a fool for not takin’ those five more steps out the door and endin’ all this.”

“You’re not a fool, Madeline Ross. Even if you would’ve left, where would you have gone? What would you have done, confronted your father?”

She nodded resolutely and met his gaze. “Yes. I would’ve faced him, and I would’ve resolved this nonsense.”

“How? And if you did just that, then what? Would you have come back to me?”

She averted her gaze and stared down at their hands.

Jack frowned and leaned back.

Before he could slide his hand out from hers, Maddie gripped it tightly and held it there as she flicked her gaze back up to him. Her eyes shimmered with fresh tears as she said, “Jack, don’t think I don’t love you. You know that’s why I didn’t take those last few steps and leave.”

“But if you would’ve left, we both know you’d never return.”

“You don’t know that. How dare you even say that.”

“But you can’t lie when we both know you’ve been considerin’ it.”

Pain sharpened her expression, and she slouched deeper into her seat as she closed her eyes and bit down on her lip. Beside her, Django whined and licked her hand. In response, she petted his head and neck softly. For a long minute, she sat gazing at the dog.

“I just need to clear my head.”

“You wanna go for a ride or somethin’?”

A twisted frown bent her lips, and she glanced up at him apologetically as she confessed, “I think it’s best I go alone.”

He blinked. “Will you come back?”

Her frown deepened and her eyes refused to meet his. “I don’t know.”

Hurt and offended by her answer, he released her hand and stood up out of his chair. He walked back to the stove and filled his cup a second time. He stood staring out the kitchen windows in a silent battle with himself. A part of him was selfish, in that he wished to beg for her to stay, but another part urged him to accept her decision. _It’s not up to me to keep her here_. _If she wants to go, then I can’t stop her…but if she wants to stay, then so be it._ Still, the thought of her leaving him caused his heart to freeze over and his breath to catch in his lungs; it made him dread going to bed alone, much less waking up the same way. _She completes me_ , he realized as he half-turned and looked back at her. _She’s my better half…but even so, I can’t stop her from doin’ what she wants._

She sat staring up at him, her expression hollow as she waited for him to speak.

He looked at her for a long while, remembering all the beautiful details of her that made her the captivating, intelligent, and astounding woman she was. He paid close attention to the shape of her face, the dark brown color of her eyes, her slanted eyebrows, her round chin, her long, tussled-up dark hair, the way she filled out her clothing in an alluring and impressive way. He studied the way she looked at him, not just in that moment, but all the other moments prior to it.

With a saddened sigh and a nod, he looked her in the eyes and said, “Go, then, if that’s what you want.”

As his statement filled the empty, silent room, he turned back to the window and watched as the sun began to sleepily rise above the horizon.

By the time the sky was splashed with a watercolor-painted sunrise, she was gone.

 

*             *             *

 

The afternoon breeze made the corn stalks sigh and whisper hopeful wordless phrases to Jack as he walked between the rows inspecting the sweet corn he’d planted months ago. The garden behind the house, just off to the side from the gazebo and horseshoe pit, had blossomed brilliantly over the summer, and just as he’d hoped, the corn was beginning to show signs of plentiful harvest. Though he’d planted only seven rows of corn, two rows of beans, and three of potatoes, it was the sure sign of bountiful feasting in the coming month that made his dampened spirts begin to rise.

                _It’s almost ready_ , he thought with a grin as he held a medium-sized cob in his hands, still on the stalk and in its shuck. He checked the beans and potatoes and grew even more hopeful still when the fruits of his labor looked to be finally paying off. _It won’t be long now_ , he finalized as he stepped out of his crop and stood back admiring it.

                Despite his constant worry for Maddie and the threat of her father, he kept himself busy all day with chores and the like. He refused to let himself sit around and become sick with terror over what he knew he couldn’t control. _Time will only tell what’ll happen_ , he reasoned with himself as he turned and walked over to the corral. _It’s out of my hands, anyways._ He stood leaning up against the fence on his elbows watching the fourteen calves he’d helped bring into the world. Several calves, not but five or so weeks old, were galloping around and butting heads in front of him, and he had to grin at their adorable antics. His cattle had given him all sorts of beautiful and cute colorations: some were brown and white, others black and white, others of solid color. He’d been blessed with more heifers than bulls, and he wondered when Drew and Bonnie would come and take them back to their ranch.

 _It probably won’t be until the fall_ , he assumed as he watched a black and white bull and brown and white heifer snort and butt heads five feet in front of him. The young female proved the victor after several harsh blows, and as the bull turned tail and ran off to his mother, the heifer stood triumphantly before Jack. Her ears flopped forward and her dark eyes twinkled with curiosity as she cautiously ambled up to him. Though it was Maddie who tried to tame the young ones more-so than he, Jack held out his hand to the calf. She sniffed at it, taking in his scent with adorable little snorts.

“Come on,” he urged softly and stood still.

To his joy and amazement, the heifer came within petting distance. She allowed him to ruffle the curly fur on her head. He stuck out his index finger and laughed when the calf sucked on it, briefly mistaking it for an udder before she suddenly pulled away, wrinkled her nose, and took off at a blind sprint back to her young herd-mates and joined in on their fun of bucking and running about while the cows stood watching them and chewing on their cud. Though he was rather disappointed she didn’t stay close to him longer, Jack watched the brown and white heifer prance around with the grace and joy of every young creature.

He wasn’t alone, however. He didn’t need to look down to know that Django hadn’t left his side since that morning, and as he went around the corner of the barn and pumped more water into the trough for the cattle, the dog whined and begged for his attention.

“Alright, alright,” he groaned and knelt to rough-house the young dog. He spent the next half hour wrestling, petting, and playing fetch with his dog, and during that time, he felt like he’d stepped back in time and was once more a happy boy playing with Rufus. Though he knew Django would never be able to replace his previous dog, he still felt extreme joy in the animal’s presence.

His play with Django didn’t go unnoticed: in no time at all, two certain attention-hungry horses came ambling up to him and nudged his back with their velveteen muzzles. After throwing the drool-covered stick for the fiftieth time, Jack turned and was met by Sundance and Féileacán. The horses stood side-by-side before him, their ears pricked and their eyes sparkling with curiosity. His palomino stallion whickered and drew his head back high enough to nibble at his hat, and when he waved him away, the horse pinned his ears back and went for his shirt instead.

“What _is_ it with you animals today?” he joked as he turned his attention to the horses. He retrieved a brush from the barn and brushed them from head to hoof, taking his time and making nonsense conversation with them. Happy to be the center of attention at last, the equines stood silent and calm, their heads hung low and their lower lips and ears drooping.

As he headed back out the barn, he paused and glanced over at Sundance’s tack sitting on a saw horse. _Should I go saddle up and find Maddie?_ he debated. _Or do I just wait for her to return?_ For the longest second, he stood battling with himself, and with a sigh and a shake of his head, he put away the brushes and headed back outside. _Maybe she won’t come back after all…and I’ll be stuck here without her. God knows what she’s doin’ right about now. I hope she’s keepin’ out of sight, especially from her father._

The moment he exited the barn, he stopped in mid-step as he spotted movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he looked down the road and squinted in the afternoon sun’s bright rays. Shielding his face with a hand, he strained to get a better look at what stirred up a dust cloud further down the path.

He gasped with elation as he recognized Maddie galloping Gypsy down the road.

“Oh, thank God!” he breathed and sprinted towards the gate. By the time he’d reached it to open it for her, she’d already dismounted, threw it open, and led her sweating black beauty through.

She blinked and stood stiff when he took her in his arms. “Jack, what’s—”

Her question was cut short as he pulled her close and kissed her graciously. He held her so close he felt her quaking heartbeat, and he kissed her until he was out of breath. He drew back for only a second to inhale, but in the time that he took to do so, she placed her hands on his chest and pushed him away with a most serious gaze. She looked almost offended by his affection.

He blinked and stepped forward, his hands outstretched and his eyebrows narrowed in worry. “Maddie, what’s wrong? Why did you—”

“I haven’t much time to explain,” she interjected as she mounted her horse and nudged her into a trot towards the barn. Over her shoulder, she called back, “Now hurry!”

He jogged alongside Gypsy, and when she stopped the rocky mountain mare in front of the barn and hitched her, he stood waiting for an explanation.

Maddie didn’t bother to unsaddle her tired mount; instead, she turned and headed for the house with a pace that surprised Jack. Before she could take more than five steps, he caught her by the wrist and held her back. She shot him a warning glance back over her shoulder and tried to tug free of his strong grasp.

“Madeline, what’s goin’ on?”

She wretched her wrist out of his hand and shot back ominously, “He spotted me ‘bout two hours ago in Thieves Landing. I tried to stay as far away from Blackwater as possible and stay out of sight. I thought Thieves Landing was the most sensible place to lay low. I was wrong.”

Jack stiffened. “What happened? Was he there?”

She nodded gravely. “I was at the saloon when he passed through and stopped for a drink. I knew he was out looking for me; I just didn’t think he’d search there, of all places. I would’ve thought hidin’ in the lowest of towns would keep him off my tail, but I was mistaken, and now he’s in pursuit of me.”

His eyes widened. “ _So you came back here?!_ Maddie, what the f—”

“I lost him, Jack! Gypsy is by far the fastest horse in West Elizabeth, and you know it! She left my father’s old nag in the dust long ago!”

“ _Can you be certain?_ ” Jack countered as he grabbed her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. “You _know_ this is the _first place_ he’s gonna come lookin’!” He shook her shoulders as he demanded, “ _What were you thinking?!_ ”

“I’m sorry, but when you’re on the run, you don’t have much of a chance to think!” Enraged, she swatted his hands off her and stepped back. “I panicked, okay? I hauled ass out of town, but I made certain I covered my tracks! I crossed Mason’s Bridge and passed through Montana Ford and rode by the railroad camp! I even went so far as to ride through Tall Trees and then double over my tracks to confuse him.”

“Goddamn it, Maddie! He’s still gonna come here!”

“Do you want me to leave again, Jack?!” she shrieked, tears now trickling down her cheeks. “You bastard, I tried to stay as far away from you as possible, but the second I left, I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to turn right back around. But I kept goin’, because I knew the longer I stayed, the more danger you’d be in. I LEFT _FOR YOU!_ DO YOU _KNOW_ HOW FUCKING HARD THAT WAS?!”

He stood slack-jawed and speechless. He reached out to her to comfort her, but she retreated two more steps and stifled a sob. She hugged herself with one arm and wiped her face with the other, sniffling and sighing.

“I can’t keep runnin’ like this,” she murmured through her sleeve. She lowered her arm and stared at him through her tears. “It’s now or never, Jack. Either I leave you permanently and ride down to Mexico or someplace else, or I stand and face him here and now and risk gettin’ you killed. _Now_ do you see my dilemma?”

“I do,” he cooed as he stepped closer to her. When she didn’t recoil, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

She buried her face into his chest and did her best not to sob uncontrollably. “I just thought I’d see you one last time before I said goodbye, and…”

“You don’t need to leave, you know.”

She leaned back to stare up at him through puffy, tear-swollen eyes. “Are you insane? What will that accomplish?”

“Everything that needs to happen. Let him come, then.”

“But—”

He silenced her with a kiss that took her sorrow and breath away. When he pulled away, he embraced her tightly and held her there for several long moments, grateful to have her in his arms once again and safe.

He blinked when he felt her stiffen and heard her gasp. She grasped his arms in warning.

“Jack, get in the house. Now.”

“Why? What’s…?”

He trailed off as he turned and followed her gaze. Phillip Ross didn’t bother to slow his bay gelding down as he reined the horse around the open gate and onwards towards them. As he came nearer, he drew a revolver from the holster that bounced at his hip and pointed it directly at Jack’s chest.

Maddie grabbed Jack’s arm and did her best to throw in the direction of the house. “Jack, GO! NOW!”

He stumbled as he righted himself, but he did not obey as he stood silently watching as the older man come barreling towards him, with his white hair and beard flapping about in the wind and his eyes alit with an insatiable flame of revenge. He stood his ground and grimly accepted whatever fate had been bestowed upon him. _Now we shall see how it truly ends_ , he thought as he looked Phillip Ross directly in the eyes and raised his chin.

As the elderly man pulled up his horse, Maddie threw herself in-between the two and stood her ground as her father clumsily dismounted and stumbled up to them, his gun still pointed at Jack.

“Father, NO! Put the gun down!”

“Out of the way, Madeline!” Phillip drunkenly ordered. He looked Jack dead in the eye and hissed, “You. You son of a bitch. I’m gonna finally set this right and kill you like you killed my brother!”

Maddie did her best to stay in the way of her father’s aim, despite it being rather poor and wavering. “Father, you’re drunk. Do us all a favor and go home to that controlling wife of yours!”

“Enough talk outta you, missy!” He waved his gun in a drunken gesture in the direction of Blackwater and explained, “She’s at home. She don’t need to get involved in this, and neither should you! Now get gone, girl! Be smart like your mother—”

“ _Step-_ mother!”

“—and _learn your place_. Go in the house while I take care of this!”

Maddie’s eyes narrowed to slits of rage. She drew her semi-automatic pistol and pointed it at her father’s face. “First off, you drunken sack of shit, I _know_ my place, and it’s right here between you and Jack. Second, I don’t take orders from the likes of you. And third, I’d rather be dead and buried than be associated or even _related_ to that bitch you married and threw your money away to.” She took a defiant step forward and added, “Now…Back. Off.”

Her father’s jaw dropped and his eyes widened. “You would DARE stand between your own father and the son of a whore who killed your uncle?! Have you forgotten who you are, girl? You are MY DAUGHTER! You are a ROSS, and yet here you are defendin’ some no-good outlaw bastard who needs nothin’ more than a bullet to the head! You’d rather choose HIM over your own FAMILY?!”

“With all the lies and secrets I’ve come to find out about this fucked up family, I’m _more than happy_ to take a stand and defend the last remainin’ Marston.” She took a defensive step forward, making her father stumble back a few steps, and she raised her chin defiantly as she added, “It’s about damn time someone did the right thing for once, and it’s time this all ended. It’s time for change, Phillip.”

The disappointment, rage, and pain Phillip felt was palpable as he stiffened with outrage. His face flushed a deep crimson, and the gun quivered in his grasp as he screamed, “ _HOW DARE YOU, MADELINE ANNE ROSS!!!!_ ”

“NO, HOW DARE _YOU!_ ” Maddie countered with as much venom in her voice. She jabbed at him with her gun for emphasis as she argued, “You’ve failed to recognize or acknowledge the truth! It was _Edgar_ who started this mess, NOT John or Jack! My uncle—your brother—was the _very reason_ for Jack’s plight! HE was the _real_ criminal! Have you forgotten what he did to John, how he took his wife and _son_ ”, she gestured back to Jack with a jerk of her head, “and held them captive to gain leverage over him so he was forced to do his dirty work?”

Phillip opened his mouth to speak, but Maddie wasted no time continuing.

“AND how after he gave John his family and his freedom back, he turned on him the second he could and shot him dead on his own land, all for a chest of medals and a pay raise!” She paused, panting from her anger, and looked her father over with a scrutinizing, doubtful gaze. Her eyebrows narrowed, and she cocked her head slightly to the side as she asked, “Or do you not know the real story? Did Edgar keep his dirty little secret from you to keep you in the dark and himself in the lime light?”

Her father stood seething but otherwise refused to answer.

Maddie nodded and smirked grimly. “ _Of course_ he did that...” She shook her head, pursed her lips, and took another step closer to him. “Look me in the eyes and answer me truthfully, if you’re even capable: did you _really_ know your brother? See, I _thought_ I knew who he was, until Jack set me straight and told me otherwise. Only then did I know how much of a connivin’, sadistic, greedy bastard he was.”

“Shut your mouth, Madeline!” Phillip roared. He gestured to Jack with a jab of his revolver and glared accusingly at him. “He’s filled your head with trash, girl! He’s poisoned you against me!”

Again, Maddie shook her head. “Jesus Christ, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you never truly knew your own brother.”

“And apparently neither did you.”

“No, I didn’t, in fact,” she agreed venomously. “We two were in the wrong, Phillip. Edgar kept us and everyone in Blackwater in the dark for his own benefit. He cheated and lied and murdered his way to fame and fortune, nothing more. All those medals and such was all given to him under false pretenses. He was worse than the men he made John Marston hunt down.”

“How DARE you say that, after all your uncle and I taught you about the law!”

“Which was all lies anyway!” Maddie countered. “Had I known the _true_ way of justice and the _proper_ way to bring in bounties, I would’ve turned out a better person, and I would’ve done my job far better than what I’ve previously been doin’. And I certainly wouldn’t have been raped and almost killed.”

Her father’s eyes widened. His gun lowered as he stared at her. “What?! When did this happen?!”

She scoffed at his ignorance. “Months ago, and had it not’ve been for Jack, I wouldn’t be alive right now. He saved my life that day, and countless times prior during our bounty hunts, and he showed me the _right_ way to do my job.” Her gun lowered as she adopted a kinder tone. “Don’t you see? Jack’s a good man. He’s changed, and he’s cleared his name. To kill him would only start the cycle again, and how would we all benefit? Phillip, this _has to stop_. Put away your gun now and go back home to your wife. Let her take care of you now; don’t make me have to take drastic measures and take care of you _my way_.”

The older man shook his head viciously and brought his gun back up. “NO! I ain’t leavin’ this place with him alive and breathin’, and I ain’t leavin’ here without you either! You’re comin’ home with me, Madeline Anne, and you’re gonna stay there for good this time. I’ve lost you too many times, and you’ve been gone for far too many years. It’s time you come home with me; it’s time we be a family again.”

Maddie’s grip on her firearm tightened as she brought her gun back up as well. She shook her head. “Never in a million years would I follow you back to that shithole of a town; never would I consider tryin’ to repair that which is far beyond repair. _Our family’s dead, Phillip_. Go back to Blackwater and be with your wife. Leave Jack be.”

“I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU’D THROW YOUR LIFE AWAY FOR THE SAKE OF SOME BASTARD OUTLAW!” He pointed the gun at Jack in a threatening, accusatory manner and screamed, “HE’S CORRUPTED YOU!”

“Hey, you old bastard!” Jack interjected as he stepped around Maddie. “I’ve done no such thing!”

Seeing his window of opportunity, Phillip lunged forward with his gun and pressed it against Jack’s heart. Spittle flew from his mouth as he hissed, “You’ve done nothing but RUIN my daughter!”

“I _LOVE_ HER!” he spat back and pressed back against the gun, stepping into it fearlessly and daring the old man to pull the trigger.

“NO, YOU _DON’T!_ You’ve DEFILED and DEBAUCHED her in ways that are unfixable! For you to say that you love my daughter is complete heresy, boy! _You don’t deserve her, much less another breath of life!_ ”

“I may not deserve her, mister, but I’ve done _everything_ in my power to help and save her from herself and from the world! While you were in Blackwater doin’ God knows what, we were out bringin’ in bounties together, gettin’ shot up and riskin’ our lives every single day. I kept her as safe as I possibly could out there, even tried to protect her from most of the bullets that went her way!” He shoved his face into the older man’s and added, “I saved her life when she got raped and almost beaten to death. _I_ was the one who nursed her back to health and brought her back from her own self-destruction. AND ALL THIS TIME, WHERE WERE YOU?!”

Maddie tried to intervene and situate herself between the men, but Jack refused to allow it as he walked forward, causing the older man to backpedal despite having his revolver on the younger man.

“If you really think you’re as great of a father as you say you are, then WHY DIDN’T YOU GO FIND HER AND HELP HER?” Jack demanded.

“SHE WOULDN’T GIVE ME A CHANCE, BOY! She kept runnin’ further and further away! What else could I have done?”

“Besides give up like you did?”

“YOU’RE NOT A FATHER; YOU WOULDN’T UNDERSTAND!”

“I DON’T THINK I _WANT_ TO UNDERSTAND!”

Again, Maddie tried to pry her way between them, and as she tried desperately to pull them apart, she shouted, “Jack, stop! Father, PLEASE! Put the gun AWAY!”

A moment passed as the men glared each other down, giving Maddie enough opportunity to push herself between them. She looked at Jack, then at her father, and proclaimed, “ENOUGH! This doesn’t have to end so violently!” She turned her body so she shielded Jack from the old man’s gun. To emphasize her point, she grabbed the revolver by the barrel and flicked it aside so that it was no longer pointed at Jack. She glared up at Phillip. “I suggest you get back on that nag of yours and go back home.” She raised her gun back up and shoved the end of the barrel into his chest. “Otherwise, I might have to take drastic measures.”

Phillip’s jaw dropped. He glanced down at her gun then back up at her. “You wouldn’t DARE shoot your own father!”

“Threaten Jack again, and I just might. I won’t be makin’ the same mistake twice, not like the night of Mama’s death. You may have stood by and let it happen, but I will do no such thing today. Unlike you, Father, I will do the right thing.” She nodded over to his bay gelding, who was off twenty yards away grazing, and suggested, “Leave this place now and never come back. This is your last chance.”

He glared menacingly down at her. “I’m not leavin’ without you.”

She shook her head adamantly. “I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

His eyes narrowed a fraction, and a dangerous gleam entered them as he nodded and finalized, “Then you leave me with no choice.”

In the next instant, there was a scream of pain, a shriek of terror, and a triumphant cackle.


	40. Happy Trails

By the time it took Maddie and Jack to react, it was already too late. Maddie stumbled off to the side, her face stinging from the backhanded slap she’d received from her father, and before she could stop him, he aimed at Jack and fired his revolver.

Jack cried out in terror and pain, doubled over, and clutched at his gunshot wound out of impulsive reaction. Still, it wasn’t enough to completely distract him from the oncoming assault from Phillip as the older man stepped closer to him, cackling with triumph, and pulled the hammer of his revolver back with his thumb, loading a second bullet into the chamber.

Maddie shrieked and charged forward, her right fist swinging. Before Phillip could pull the trigger again, her fist collided with the left side of his face, and the old man spun half-way around as he fell down heavily on the ground at Jack’s feet, his gun falling uselessly down beside him.

In the next instant, she was beside him with her hands outstretched with concern towards his injury. “Jack! Oh, God, are you okay?!”

He grimaced as he straightened up from his bent stance. He glanced down as he removed his hand from his shoulder, and with a sigh of relief and a shake of his head, he joked, “Your pa is a piss-poor shot, Madeline.” A tendril of blood trickled down his arm where the bullet had grazed his skin and stained his long-sleeved shirt. He examined his bloody hand and wiped it on the dirty sleeve.

Maddie stepped closer and looked at the scratch. Her shoulders sagged from the weight of her relief as she exhaled deeply. Her fingers gingerly touched his arm, and she shook her head in wonder. “Thank God he nicked you.”

“Well, yeah, but _how could he have missed?_ ” he asked, baffled and laughing. “I was _right in front of him_ , for Christ’s sake!” His grin widened with every word, and by the end of his sentence, he was smiling.

“He’s drunk, Jack.” After a frown and a pause, she said, “Well, he _was_. Now, he’s unconscious.” She glanced back at her father, who lay face-down in the dirt and out cold. Her expression was unreadable as she regarded him with a countenance of multiple emotions.

“So…what happens now?” Jack asked, watching her closely.

She turned back to him as she unfurled her lasso from her satchel. She glanced back at her father and explained, “I’m takin’ him to Blackwater and throwin’ his drunk ass in jail where he belongs.”

“And then what?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“Oh. You, uh…You want some help?”

She shook her head. “I think it’s best I handle this alone. He may be a drunkard and a fool who tried to kill you, but he is still unfortunately my father, and I must deal with him the only way I know how. It’s all led up to this point, and it’s all been his choices that has made it so. And now, it has been resolved.” She took a deep, reflecting breath and released it. “ _‘The rest is silence’_.” She turned and walked over to Phillip; she grabbed his hands as she knelt beside him and bound them behind his back.

Jack watched her with a remorseful frown. _So is this goodbye, then?_ _After all that, will you come back to me, or will you ride off again?_ He considered voicing his thoughts, but he thought better of it as Maddie walked over to her horse and unhitched her. As she led the mare back towards him and her father, she fetched her father’s bay gelding, and when at last she stopped the horses beside Phillip, she dropped the reins and tried to hoist her father up and over her shoulder. The weight of his girth proved to be a hassle for her, and she immediately received help from Jack. Together, they slung the unconscious old man up and over Gypsy’s backside. The rocky mountain mare grunted and pinned her ears back against her head; she gnawed at the bit and swished her tail. Once the old man was tied and secured to the back of the saddle, Maddie and Jack turned and faced each other.

Maddie looked back at his wound and winced with pity. “You should go inside and get that taken care of, Jack.”

He scoffed and shrugged. “Maddie, come on. It’s just a scratch, nothin’ more. I’ll be just fine.”

“Jack.”

He rolled his eyes and nodded. “Alright, fine.”

“Good.”

“What about you? You gonna be okay?”

She nodded. “Of course. I’ll have Archer help me with him once I get into town.”

The question begged to be voiced, and after a long pause and an inward battle, he asked, “What then? Will you…come back?”

She looked him in the eyes, and with an uncertain glimmer in her own, she whispered, “I…I don’t know yet.”

He blinked and stepped closer to her. “What?”

Her eyes darted around as she tried to think of the best answer. She busied herself by taking off her hat, running her hands through her hair, and tugging her Stetson down low over her face. “I just need some time to think is all.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I have a choice to make…after I take care of my father and finish this.” She was hesitant to look up at him, but when she did, her eyes held a certain edginess that made Jack take a step back. When she couldn’t bear to hold his gaze, she tucked her chin down into her collarbone, turned, and grabbed the reins of both horses. In silence, she walked over to the left side of her black mare and crisscrossed the reins atop the saddle horn.

“Maddie, wait.” Jack crossed the short distance she’d made between them and hastily took her up in his arms, pining for one last attempt of affection that would, to his highest hopes, make her change her mind. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her in tight against him, and kissed her long and slow. To his bewilderment and relief, she reciprocated his affection, though not as passionately as he wished she would. Time itself seemed to pause for the two, granting them one last moment together, before they pulled away and stared into each other’s eyes.

A grateful smirk broke across Maddie’s lips. “What was that for?”

He grinned sadly down at her and half-shrugged. His hands caressed her back and waist, as if they were doing their best to remember the feel of her. “One for the road, I guess.”

Her smirk widened, and her eyes softened with adoration. “Thank you, Jack, for that…for everything.”

At first, he couldn’t bring himself to respond: the way the breeze played with her hair and the way the sunlight reflected off her skin held him spellbound. He did his best to keep that same picture of her in his head as he answered back, “You’re welcome, miss. Anything for you.”

They gave each other one last look-over before Maddie stepped out of his arms and mounted Gypsy. The mare chewed at the bit and tossed her head in anticipation for the fast ride to town; beside her, Phillip’s bay blew loudly and flicked his ears back, hating to be cut off from his grazing. Maddie held her horse’s reins with her right hand while she held her father’s horse with her left; she smirked sorrowfully down at Jack and tipped her hat to him before suddenly reining her horse around and spurring her forward. Gypsy leapt into a gallop down the road towards the open gate, with the bay gelding following behind her.

Jack watched her and the horses pass through the gate, then drift further and further down the road, turn, and disappear up and over the hill that led them across the Great Plains towards Blackwater. Alone, he stood staring after her, feeling his heart crumple into thousands of ice-cold shards before falling down into his stomach. A giant lump formed in his throat, and he did his best to swallow it down and get a good hold of his emotions that were rapidly beginning to win the battle of control. With a shaky sigh and a low spirit, he whispered a goodbye to the woman that changed his life for the better before turning and shuffling somberly into the house.

 

*             *             *

 

The triple-beat gait of her horse and the bay gelding she led filled her ears as she rode steadily on towards Blackwater. The ever-growing town was hard to miss as she and the horses crossed the Great Plains with her father in tow. Sorrow the likes of which she hadn’t realized she could feel anymore suddenly devastated her; her stomach churned and her body grew weak over the choice of leaving the most important and influential man she’d ever come to know.

 _Have I made the right choice?_ she asked herself with tears swelling in her eyes _. Am I supposed to just drop off my father in a jail cell then ride off somewhere else? Maybe I should go back to Bonnie’s: she’d know what I should do._ She glanced back at her unconscious father tied behind her and the saddle flopping about. _At least he’s still out and not cursin’ my name._ She faced forward and looked further on down the road; Blackwater steadily crept up to her. She swallowed thickly, trying to rid her throat of the lump it had developed. Tears suddenly escaped her eyes and tumbled down her face only to get swept away by the wind as her horse galloped on. _Perhaps I can just go back to him, now that everything’s been settled. But has it_ truly _been ended? Father will no doubt be set free from jail someday, and when that day comes, Lord knows he’ll try to kill Jack again, especially if I’m still there with him. So do I just stay away, or do I go back to him? Will this ever truly end?_

For unknown reason, the bouncing of her necklace within her shirt caught her attention. Glancing down at her chest, she reached down and retrieved it. The golden locket shimmered in the sunlight; she pried it open with a fingernail and studied the picture of her mother closely. Though it was a faded black-and-white photo, she saw the intuitive brown eyes of her mother staring right back at her, deep into her soul; she saw her pale, fair flesh, the flawless white dress, and her long, reddish-brown hair. The picture spoke to her in a way unlike never before, and out of all the times she’d stared longingly at it, now it seemed that Irene was trying to tell her something. Chills electrified Madeline’s body as she suddenly heard her mother’s voice resonate in her mind.

_Follow your heart, my child. What does it tell you?_

_It tells me that he loves me_ , she answered. _It tells me that this is right. But what about Father?_

Again, her mother said in her Irish accent, _Follow your heart, my child…What does it tell you?_

Maddie’s eyes narrowed in understanding then, and she nodded as she responded, _He will be where he belongs._

Even though the picture was nothing more than a picture, Maddie saw her mother smile and nod. _Very good, my little girl. Do you remember what else I told you?_

The tears fell thick then as Maddie nodded. _Stay true to yourself, no matter what._

_Very good._

And then the voice faded, and the picture was once again an old picture, unmoving and unchanged, a moment frozen in time Maddie cherished in the palm of her hand. Sniffing and wiping her face clear of the tears with her other hand, she nodded and returned the locket within her shirt. The courage she felt spurred her on, and as she rode into town, she eased her and her father’s horse to a trot. In no time at all, she pulled the horses to a stop outside the police station.

A nearby Blackwater officer turned and hastened over to her and the panting horses. “Miss Ross!” he greeted and tipped his hat to her. “Haven’t seen you in ages! What brings you into town?”

She dismounted and began untying her father from her horse’s saddle.

The officer’s eyes widened. “That’s your pa! What the hell do you have him tied up like a bounty for?”

“Go get Mister Fordham. Now.”

“But he’s your fath—”

“NOW!”

Hastily, he tipped his hat again to her and said, “Yes, ma’am.” In the next second, he disappeared inside the building. Within two minutes, he and Archer burst through the doors and jogged up to her.

“Miss Ross,” Archer began, tipping his hat out of respect, “Nate here just informed me that you needed my assistance. What can I do for you?”

She nodded to her father, who still lay unconscious over-top her horse’s backside. She’d finished untying him just moments ago. “I could use your help. He’s fatter than what I remember, and even I can’t lift him off my horse, much less throw him in jail.”

Archer’s eyes widened. “What did he do?”

“The same thing you knew he’d do, Fordham. He got drunk, rode to Beecher’s Hope, and tried to kill Jack.” She grabbed her father’s legs and shouldered them. She nodded suggestively to Archer. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get him where he belongs before he comes to.”

“Yes, of course,” the government agent replied and hastened to help.

They carried the unconscious old man inside and into an empty jail cell. As Archer locked up, Maddie stood watching her father lying sprawled out across the cot in the small cell, her arms folded tightly across her chest and a scowl that made even Archer cringe and look away. Avoiding looking at her, he turned and watched alongside her as Phillip slept.

“So what now, Miss Ross?” Fordham asked. “Does Mister Marston wish to press charges? Are you wanting to stay here with your father when he wakes?”

Maddie shrugged. “It’s hard tellin’ what Jack wants to do. He didn’t mention anything about pressing charges.” Speaking his name was enough to send a pang of pain and regret through her chest. She swallowed hard and continued, “As for my father, he can stay here and serve his time for attempted murder and trespassing. Hell, he can rot away in here, for all I care.”

“Do you wish to speak to him?”

She sighed heavily and looked off to the side. “As much as I don’t want to, I will.”

Archer rested a hand on her shoulder. “Are you all right? You seem a little…shook up. Did he hurt you or Jack?”

She shook her head. “Not enough to kill us. He grazed Jack’s arm at point-blank range.”

“Phillip must’ve been _very_ drunk.”

“Yes, and thank God for that; otherwise, this all would’ve turned out quite differently.”

Fordham’s gaze lingered on her as he studied her carefully. “Madeline, be honest with me. Are you okay?”

She nodded curtly. “Yes, I’m fine. Just pissed is all.”

“That’s understandable, miss. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“Yeah, keep this miserable wretch in here for as long as possible. And make sure his wife isn’t allowed to bail him out, either. I know that bitch has his money, but make sure she can’t spend a single penny on him.”

Archer chuckled and retracted his hand. He shook his head. “You know I can’t do that, Maddie.”

“Yeah, well, you should.”

“As much as I’d love to fulfill your wishes, I can’t.”

“Well, what am I to do when he gets set free? You know _damn_ well he’s gonna go after Jack and I the second he has the chance to.”

Archer shook his head resolutely. “He will serve his time, make no mistake about that, but I doubt he will carry out that plan, not when I tell him that the next time he sets foot on Jack’s land, Mister Marston has full right to shoot him down. You would do well to inform Jack that, even though I’m pretty sure he already knows that.” He paused in reflection. “I’m surprised he didn’t do so. He could’ve just shot your father and ended it all in an instant. What stopped him, anyway?”

Maddie shrugged. “He said that’s what he wanted. He told me, ‘Let him come’, and he did. And now look what happened: my father got his ass thrown in jail, and Jack and I are apart out of the fear that this will all happen again once my father’s free.”

Archer touched her arm comfortingly and said, “Miss, you know that isn’t necessary. Go be with him. So what if your father doesn’t like you being with a Marston? I think your union is quite heroic, and quite fitting, to be honest.”

She blinked and looked at him. “You think so?”

“Yes.”

A pained groan emanated from Phillip as he stirred atop the cot before them.

Archer looked from Phillip to Maddie. He tipped his hat to her and turned to leave. “I’m sure you’ll be wanting some privacy with your father. You have yourself a good day, miss…well, what little there is left of it.”

She smiled at him as he walked away. “Thank you, Archer.”

He returned the smile over his shoulder before disappearing behind a door.

With a grim feeling in her gut, Maddie looked back at her father, who was sitting up on the cot and cradling the side of his face with a hand. Oblivious to her presence, he looked about his cell with growing concern. “What the hell?” he wondered aloud. “Where the hell am I?”

Maddie felt her eyes narrow with hate and disgust as she glared down at her father. She drew her crossed arms tighter across her chest. “You’re in jail, right where you belong, you drunken old coot.”

Sluggishly, Phillip drew back his head and looked up at her, cradling his face. Still recovering from the blow he’d received from her, as well as the alcohol he’d consumed earlier that day, he blinked several times, and upon making sense of her words and recognizing her, his eyes widened in shock and betrayal. His other arm shook with rising rage as he pointed at her and exclaimed, _“ **You** threw me in jail?!”_

“Rightly so.”

**_“How could you?!”_ **

“Because you tried to kill Jack Marston. You tried to kill a pardoned, honest man over a grudge that’s long been expired.”

“He’s not honest, Madeline, and he’s certainly not pardoned! What, did they forget to put my brother’s name on that list?”

“As far as Archer and I are concerned, that man died of mysterious circumstances.”

“I _knew_ Archer was helpin’ you all along!” he roared, jabbing a finger at her. “I just KNEW it! He’s helpin’ you cover this up! It’s a conspiracy! I can’t believe _my own daughter_ is helpin’ a _government agent_ cover up the _biggest_ scandal of this town’s history just for the sake of some _outlaw kid!_ ”

“Not when Edgar did that himself, and all for the sake of gettin’ false recognition over work he didn’t do.” Maddie stepped closer to the bars and looked Phillip in the eyes. “Uncle Edgar got what he deserved, as you have in kind. This is at last settled and over with. It’s time to move on; forget your brother’s sins and your own. I’ve made peace with it, and so should you.”

Phillip glared vindictively up at his daughter. “That boy’s ruined you, girl. I swear to God, when I get out of here, he’ll wish he’d never been conceived by that trigger-happy outlaw and born out of the rancid womb of that whore!”

“YOU WILL DO NO SUCH THING, NOT WHEN YOU’LL BE STUCK IN HERE FOR THE REST OF YOUR MISERABLE DAYS!”

Phillip was taken aback by her thunderous voice; he blinked in rapid succession, and when he scrunched up his face in pain from the migraine she and the alcohol had given him, he buried his face in both hands and moaned with agony.

Maddie shook her head. “Your ignorance and denial still astounds me.”

“And your naivety is sickening!” Phillip stood up with considerable difficulty and shuffled up to her. He grabbed the iron bars that separated them. “You’d be so foolish as to think that that boy’s a better man because he’s done his time? Nothin’ gets forgiven, Maddie! Everyone’s past comes back to haunt them. Trust me, I know this better than most. Do you think I don’t suffer every wakin’ moment without your mother beside me? Do you think I don’t recall her screams of pain before she died, and how afterwards, how terrible I felt as a failure of a father to you when we were barely managin’?” His dark eyes glistened with tears, and the look he gave her held her at his mercy as he continued, “My daughter, all I’ve ever wanted for you was to have a life that was better than the one tragically given to you. Your mother would’ve wanted you to find someone who was worthy of your beauty and your intelligence; she would’ve wanted you to marry someone wealthy, someone who would be able to take good care of you and provide you with all the necessities and riches of life. That’s just what I want for you as well, darlin’.”

“No,” she shot back, shaking her head viciously. “Mother wanted me to have the freedom to live whatever life I wanted. She wanted me to have what she didn’t and couldn’t have, and that was _choice_. To hell with marryin’ some wealthy lawyer or doctor! If I choose to marry, I would want someone who respects and loves me for me, who doesn’t try to strangle me under such strict rules or makes me bear the misfortunes of womanhood and child-bearing. Jack is one such man who does just that: he respects and adores me, and he allows me the freedom to do what I want, when I want.”

“No, Madeline!” Phillip rebuked, slamming a hand against the bars. “Listen to what I’m sayin’! Jack isn’t as great a man as you portray him to be! That boy is trouble! Don’t you know what kind of low-lives he comes from, what sort of background he’s got?! Why be with someone who’s nothin’ more than what he was born into, who will never be better than just that?! Why go against _everything_ I wish for you to have?” His rage softened to disbelief and an insatiable thirst for the truth as he whispered, “Maddie, _why are you with him?!”_

The moment it took for her to come up with a viable answer was a long one, but in that time, it solidified her decision. Her choice was made as she looked her father in the eye, raised her chin boldly, and said, “Because he has and always will be a better man than you can even hope to be.”

The pain and betrayal in Phillip’s expression shocked her, but she covered her surprise with her mask of cold steel as she stepped away from the cell bars. Her hands fell to her sides as she held gazes with him. She studied the pain she saw in every inch of his face, the way his jaw dropped open the moment the words left her mouth and slapped him across the face, the way his eyes swelled with unforgiveable tears and how his bottom lip began to quiver.

“I’m glad you’re hurtin’, Father. I’m glad you’re sittin’ in here where you’ve always belonged. Now, you will have all the time in the world to reflect on every wrong-doing you’ve ever done in your life. I hope the memory of Mama will drive you to despair; I hope your thirst for whiskey will drive you to madness. Goodbye, Father.” She turned on her heel and walked away.

“DON’T YOU WALK AWAY FROM ME, MADELINE ANNE ROSS!” he shrieked as he threw his hands against the bars. “YOU GET BACK HERE, GIRL! MADDIIIIEEEEE!! _MMAAAAAADDDDDIIIIEEEEE!!!!_ ”

His cries of rage and despair fell on deaf ears as Maddie walked out of the police station. A great weight was lifted from her shoulders, and she was able to breathe far deeper than she had been able to in months. A relieved smile spread itself across her lips as she grabbed her horse’s reins and led her away from the horrid building, leaving her father to scream and wail and wallow in his outrage and sorrow.

 

*             *             *

 

The small patch suited Jack just fine as he quickly rubbed on some salve and wrapped his shoulder with a long piece of cloth. Though it was merely a scratch and nothing to worry about, to him, Maddie’s last order wasn’t something to be cast aside. He felt it needed to be done out of respect for her after watching her ride away, and now as he sat at the kitchen table staring longingly out the windows with Django sitting beside him, he wanted nothing more than to find her and bring her back.

 _This can’t be the end_. _This just can’t be it, not after everything we’ve been through. How could she have just left like that?_

 He looked down at his dog when the pup whined and rubbed his leg with his muzzle. With a sad grin, Jack reached down and petted him on the head. Django stared up at him with dark, inquisitive brown eyes, knowing something was wrong. He whined again and licked his master’s hand, yearning for more comfort. Jack leaned down and petted him with both hands.

“I know you miss her. I miss her, too, make no mistake about that.”

Django’s eyes never left his; it was if he was pleading his master to retrieve her.

“She’s not comin’ back, boy.”

Again, the dog whined. He lifted up a paw and swept it across his pant leg.

“You’re one persistent pup, ain’t you?” he teased as he scratched behind the collie’s ears. His stubborn determination to set things right probed at his heart; the yearning to be with her once and for all burned deep in his breast. _But who’s to say she’ll want to come back and stay with me? I’m pretty sure she’s too convinced this’ll never work. But it’s Maddie, and I know she loves me, just as much as I love her. Hell, I owe my life to her, and yet she’s not here with me._

His face set into a determined frown. He nodded, making up his mind, and as he shrugged his shirt back on and buttoned it up, he said down to the collie, “You stay here, alright? Stay here and watch over the herd for me. I’ll be back.”

Before he knew it, he was riding Sundance across the Great Plains at a breakneck speed. It was a race with the sunset as the stallion flew over the land so fast he had to hold onto his hat. Like the last time he’d ridden to town, he felt free, giddy almost in his certainty he’d find her and change her mind to stay with him. Never before had he felt so sure of such a strong and pure emotion; never before had it all felt so right to be with the one person who’d changed his life for the better. As the night began to settle over the world, he entered town and slowed his horse to a trot.

As he headed for the police station, movement out the corner of his right eye caught his attention. Surprise shocked his heart into a stuttering beat when he immediately spotted her walking her horse over to the saloon. He reined his horse to the right and spurred the stallion after her. By the time he neared the saloon, she’d already hitched her horse to the patio and had disappeared inside. Hastily, he dismounted and hitched his horse beside hers before nearly stumbling through the doors.

The saloon was packed with the usual night crawlers and alcoholics of Blackwater; his senses were overwhelmed with the bright interior lighting, the boisterous talk of men and prostitutes, the overbearing stench of sweat, perfume, smoke, and alcohol, and the loud banging of the keys and lively music being played by the pianist. Jack had to blink and gather his wits for a moment before he walked straight for the bar, which was packed with the usual nightly drunkards. Standing over by the corner furthest away from the line of men was Maddie. She slouched heavily against the bar, leaning on it with her elbows. Her head was bowed and her hat was pulled down low over her face; her long hair fell down her back and past her shoulders and arms, helping to conceal herself from the rest of the world.

His spirits in finding her were dampened, and where once he had the courage to face her and convince her to take back her decision, he was now tongue-tied and nervous. Nevertheless, he advanced forward and took his place near her without saying a word. He rested his elbows on the counter, and as he looked her over carefully, he did his best to figure out how best to strike up a conversation when they had said goodbye only half an hour ago.

Before he could make an attempt to speak to her, the bartender finally made his way towards him and Maddie after being preoccupied with several men on the opposite side of the bar. The older man’s eyebrows raised at the sight of Maddie looking so solemn, and as he leaned up against the bar as well, he studied her and Jack with rising curiosity.

“Why, Miss Ross! Haven’t seen you in town in quite a while. So…what’ll it be? The usual, then?”

Maddie shook her head and, still hiding underneath her hat, said gruffly, “Gimme the strongest shit you’ve got in here, mister. I don’t care if it’s whiskey or gin or rum or whatever, just give me what you’ve got.”

The man’s eyebrows raised even further. He blinked as he looked at Jack and asked, “And for you, Mister Marston?”

Jack grinned as he glanced at Maddie. “I’ll have whatever she’s havin’.”

The bartender looked at them both and shook his head in bewilderment. “Must’ve been one hell of a day for you two, huh?”

Maddie scoffed and ran a hand over her face. Jack nodded and answered, “Yeah, you could say that.”

Without another word, the bartender bequeathed two shot glasses to them before turning around and facing the wall of liquor. Jack watched the man silently gloss over the assortment of alcohol before selecting a bottle of whiskey. He turned back to his customers and poured them each a shot.

Maddie snatched up the shot and threw it back without so much as a cough or sputter. She swallowed it down without a fuss and slammed the glass back down on the countertop. She nodded to the bartender.

“Another.”

He poured her another shot; she took it without flinching.

In shock, Jack picked up his shot and took it, though not as aggressively as his companion did. The drink was stronger than he expected, and he coughed slightly as he set the empty glass down and beckoned for a refill. Beside him, Maddie stood silent and hunched over her empty glass. Jack took the shot, set the glass down on the counter, and ordered two beers. While the bartender got their drinks, Jack turned and faced Maddie. He placed a concerned hand on her shoulder, hoping to get her attention.

“Why did you come here, Jack?”

“You know why, Maddie.”

Though her hat concealed her eyes, he could still see her lips. She frowned and shook her head. “I told you to stay put.”

“Yeah, you did.”

“And yet you still came into town.”

“What else was I supposed to do, sit around and wait for you? I couldn’t do that, Madeline. I just couldn’t.” His hand found itself in her hair, his fingers intermingling with the wind-battered strands. It was like touching black silk. He combed his fingers through her long tresses, doing his best to not only comfort her but also undo the tangles it had received during her ride to town.

To his delight, she didn’t shy away from his touch. Rather, she glanced down at his hand, and a faint smirk appeared on her lips. She stared back down at her empty shot glass she spun around on the counter in her hands.

Their beers were given to them at the perfect time. Maddie took to hers with gusto, taking several large gulps before wiping the foam from her mouth with the back of her hand. Jack sipped at his; his concern for her well-being was far greater than his need to drink. Plus, he needed to know the one thing he’d been so desperate to hear from her since the beginning of that day.

And yet, even as he tried to build up his courage, his breath caught in his throat and his knees became weak. It was a perfect chance in the silence between them, and even the cacophony of the saloon around them encased them with a harsh atmosphere, their conversation was the most important and pivotal thing happening in that building. Still, it wasn’t without difficulty he faced as he did his best to muster the gumption and finally spit the words out. _This needs to be said_ , he finalized. With a large drink of his beer for added bravery, he sat his mug down and turned her gently by the shoulder so that she faced him.

Before he could open his mouth, someone’s hand settled on the very same arm that he held Maddie with. Flustered and surprised, he turned and met gazes with a prostitute. To his anger and embarrassment, the woman grabbed his arm and yanked it off of Maddie’s shoulder, only to clasp hands with him and stare hungrily up into his eyes.

“Howdy, mister,” she cooed and batted her eyes at him. “How ‘bout I take you off this little girl’s hands? Looks like you could use a _real_ woman’s touch tonight.”

Before Jack could react, Maddie stepped forward and powerfully grabbed the whore by the wrist. She ripped her hand off of Jack’s arm and glared evilly at her. “Back off, bitch. He’s taken.”

The woman’s jaw dropped in shock and rising anger at her adversary. She and Maddie stood facing each other for a long second before Maddie shoved her face into the whore’s and hissed venomously, “I said…Back. Off. Bitch.”

The prostitute didn’t have time to react or correct her footing as Maddie threw her off to the side and into one of the tables, where a group of men were sitting and playing a card game. The men seemed flustered at first for having a woman bump into their table, but when they realized what sort of gal did so, they quickly shrugged it off and beckoned her to stay by their table. She stormed away and disappeared out the door to skulk outside on the patio.

As Jack turned away from the scene before him and faced Maddie, he stared down at her with slack-jawed wonder and pride. He half-smiled, half-laughed as he asked, “Maddie, what’s—”

The rest of his inquiry was lost as Maddie fervently grabbed him by his striped handkerchief, pulled him close to her, and silenced him with the most intensive, passionate kiss. He was taken off-guard and fell prey to the best and most seductive kiss he’d ever received from her, so much so that when she finally pulled away and held her face a few centimeters from his, he was panting and dazed. Her eyes gushed with passion as she cupped the side of his face with her free hand and stared into his.

“I choose you,” she breathed. “I choose us. I don’t care what my father or anyone else says. I love you, and I’d rather be a Marston than a Ross. Whatever life has in store for us, whatever Fate decides to yield to us, I will stay with you, now and always.”

Jack blinked several times and stared down at her, speechless and elated at the same time. Every word she’d spoken was like honey and whiskey to his senses; he felt himself being gripped by the beckoning, warm grasp of temptation and the exhilarating whirlwind of endless infatuation. With no other way to outmatch her words of love, he took her in his arms, pulled her close, and kissed her in front of everyone in the saloon. When he pulled away, they stood there in each other’s arms panting and smiling at one another.

 “You couldn’t have made me a happier man, Madeline,” Jack said as he released his left arm from her side to pick up his beer and raise it. “With that bein’ said, let’s celebrate.”

A lascivious gleam entered her eyes as she grabbed his beer and set it back down on the counter. “To hell with that. I’ve got a better idea.”

He smiled down at her and chuckled. “You read my mind, darlin’.”

Without another word, he took her by the hand and led her upstairs.


	41. Author's Note

With the exception to the _Assassin’s Creed_ franchise, no other video game has touched me so deeply and made me more influenced by than _Red Dead Redemption_. The first time I played through it, I was amazed by the vast amount of detail that Rockstar Games had put into the game; the attention to detail in the look and feel of the spirit of the Old West, the life-like behavior, look, and gaits of the horses, the story, the raw, believable characters, and the heartbreaking but morally-driven ending gripped me so deeply. When I got to the end, when I watched John get massacred by a storm of bullets, I was in absolute shock and in tears. So when the true ending came, and the story switched to Jack three years later, I lurched forward for the chance to sate my insatiable thirst for revenge. And this is where my fan fiction began to bloom in my mind. Jack Marston, in the game, is merely a means to exact revenge and fix any loose ends. I was actually frustrated by his overall lack of character development: with all the work put into _Red Dead Redemption_ , what was Rockstar thinking throwing poor Jack into the ending and using him as a revenge puppet?

And so, I began my long journey in the world of _To Tame the Wild_. This fan fiction was written mostly for me, simply because I had a long head cannon and felt the need to expand and deepen Jack’s character. I felt that there was so much opportunity there for such a handsome, rugged, and broken young man. At first, I hated his character, like most RDR players. But then, as I started to finish the side-missions that I’d left unfinished with John, as I played as him more and more and paid attention to him more carefully, I began to **_love_** his character. It was then that I began to have a deep connection with Jack. Here is a young man, barely an adult, and with nothing left in his life except for a ramshackle of a ranch and no family, much less a purpose in life. To have such a heartbreaking character in such an enthralling open-world western video game set my creative side ablaze, and I frantically reached for the closest pencil and paper.

 _Dead Man’s Gun_ was essentially a prequel to my actual fan fiction, and I have to say that even as I was writing it, I was just as clueless as Jack riding around on the Dark Horse. It was a shaky start, the beginning to an adventure I knew would not only change the course of how I see video game characters, but also help with my writing skills and broaden my horizons on writing. And when the pieces began to fit, when Jack finally had his downfall and Maddie Ross was introduced at the end of the prequel, I knew then and there that things were really starting to take off. So when _To Tame the Wild_ started, it was like I was the spectator and not the creator of such a rich and plot-twisting story. Every scene that I saw, every conversation and gunfight in my mind’s eye, I saw it as if it were a movie on a big screen. That’s just how my muse speaks to me, and it is just so incredibly fascinating as to what the creative mind can bequeath to its owner. Like a slave to the arts, I was in a writing frenzy, and just like my readers, I couldn’t wait to get the next chapter done. The love/hate relationship with Maddie and Jack was such a gem to write; I found myself laughing as my boyfriend and I reenacted some of the scenes or helped develop them between each other. Truth be told, I knew that being in such a low state, Jack needed someone to set him straight and make sure he knew he was trash. Though Bonnie was behind Jack’s road to recovery and betterment, it was Maddie who kept him in check and made it her duty to piss him off in any way she could.

Maddie’s character was amazing to watch and help develop. Maddie is the tough-ass cowgirl I aspire to become someday, but I doubt I will ever become like her. She is someone who, even though she doesn’t exist, I’ve come to idolize.  Her ability to prove her point and her sets of skills are what I don’t necessarily have. Her prowess at handling a gun and her horse is something I hope to one day accomplish. But with every character in fiction, they have their faults, and Maddie is no exception. She is stubbornly proud and will go out of her way to prove her point or show Jack up. Her boldness and temperament comes directly from me; like her, I have a temper and over-react to the stupidest things sometimes. She is childish as well; her problem with authority and rules gives away her immaturity. However, with her faults, she is still a beautiful person. And I’m not talking exterior beauty here. I’m talking the deep, dark, and nasty things within a person, every heartbreaking thing that’s happened to them, every moment (both bad and good) of their lives that they’ve either relished in their memories or repressed. Being a beautiful person doesn’t mean being perfect, gorgeous, and infallible. Madeline Ross is beautiful in the fact that she is fiercely faithful, fights for freedom and the right to choose, and isn’t afraid to show her true grit. She is also quite romantic and, after opening up to Jack, is quite affectionate, though it takes quite a lot for her to show it outright.

But the most beautiful thing about her is what she and I have the most in common: we both know the loss of a mother. I was sixteen years old, barely starting my junior year in high school, when my mother died suddenly of a brain aneurysm and a stroke. Within a weekend, my world was ripped and shattered; my best friend and root of existence was suddenly out of my world, and I was left hollow, lost, and in inconceivable pain. My adolescence from then on was difficult, but I grew strong, and I graduated high school and went on to college. Still, there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about her or miss her. The pain hasn’t left; the gaping hole where her place in my heart is still bleeding to this very day. I have learned how to stitch up the wounds, put on that happy smile, and “deal” with it, but in truth, anyone who’s ever lost a parent or someone close like that will tell you that there is no way of “getting over” or “dealing with” it. This fan fiction has helped me accept the beautiful and not so beautiful things about me; it has helped me cope with the loss of my mother in the only way I know how: through the arts. Where it not for her, I wouldn’t love art or writing or music or horses like I do. She was my muse, my sole inspiration to keep working on a sentence that didn’t quite make sense, or a particular muscle of a horse I was drawing that wasn’t completely anatomically correct, or ten measures in a piano piece that I couldn’t get quite play to the best of my ability. When you lose the one person who helped keep you striving for greatness in the things that made your spirit soar and your heart flutter, it’s difficult to pick up the pieces and continue, but to this very day, everything that I write, draw, paint, etc. is because of her, and it would be an insult to her memory and to my talents to not keep doing what I’m destined to do.

Another thing that Maddie and I have in common is our unsteady and unhealthy relationship with our fathers. Maddie’s father is a drunken widower who remarried and struggled to find the courage to fit himself back into his daughter’s life; my father is very much like that. Dad and I were never really close; growing up, I hated my father for not being there when my mother was constantly at my side and raising me and my two older sisters. Whenever Dad and I interacted, it was…difficult. So when Mom passed away, Dad’s life was ruined as well. The fact that he’d not only lost his wife but was left with a sixteen-year-old daughter to raise and send off to college undoubtedly scared the shit out of him; it was undoubtedly daunting for him to swallow his current status in life. So those last two years of high school were rough and awkward for us; we had to learn how to be a father and daughter, how to “carry on”, and how to prepare for the future. And when I left home to start college, it was a change for Dad to move on and start dating again. He’d dated two other women, both of which were, as he put it, “crazy and out to get my money”, but when he got together with (and she will remain nameless), I thought it was great. But soon, things started to escalate, and before I knew it, Dad was going on trips with her and spending more time with her than with his three daughters and two grandkids. To this very day, this is still quite difficult for me to accept, and most of the time, I am in-between fits of rage and denial and then depression ever since Mom passed away November 12, 2007.

With these tumultuous and confusing emotions brewing within me, this helped create the relationship (or lack thereof) between Maddie and her father, as well as the gut-wrenching sorrow she is burdened with over the death of her mother. Writers write about what they know, and I don’t know how I should feel about knowing about death and sadness and anger. That’s why I was able to empathize and connect with Jack so well; that’s why I knew I had to continue his story and integrate it with Maddie’s. I have learned that when two people who have lost someone they’ve loved meet and connect, they connect in a way that not many people can understand. Death and loss connects people in a beautiful and strong way; I have friends who I care deeply for and love unconditionally who have lost someone very close and know that kind of crippling pain. People like us reach out for other people who have suffered the same: it’s just human nature, I suppose. So right away, I knew I had to have Jack connect with someone like that, someone who would be able to tame his wild rage and confusion, someone who would help right his wrongs and better his character, and someone who he would be able to understand and love unconditionally. Their bond is undoubtedly unbreakable, and no matter how much they bug the shit out of and bad-talk each other, they still love each other in a way that astounds everyone around them. Through each other, they better each other’s character and excel to someone they’re supposed to be.

Jack and Maddie’s bond is similar to what my husband and I have. We bicker and sass-talk like an old married couple, but if either one of us is hurting or needs solace, if there is something that bothers us, we go to each other. (God forbid if someone ever says anything bad about my man; otherwise, I’d have to go all Maddie on them!) We’ve known each other since middle school, and now that we’re both twenty-three and still together, it’s a great thing and something to be proud of. That kind of passion and adoration for someone…there’s nothing like it in the world. And that’s where I have based Jack and Maddie’s relationship. Coupled with the wisdom and pain of loss and their undying faithfulness and love for one another, I think Maddie and Jack are quite a beautiful couple, and though they’re far from being a “normal” couple, it’s something new and interesting to write about. That, plus there is nothing interesting about reading about “normal” or “perfect” couples, and what makes their relationship real is the fact that it’s far from perfect. Besides, being in love with someone means that you not only love them for their good qualities, but also for their bad qualities. This is no exception in the case of these two, and their tolerance for one another is a major feat.

Jack and Maddie’s story is far from over. The burn and itch to continue writing is still heavily within me; their story will continue in due time. I am interested to see whatever adventure my muse creates and shows to me. Whatever Fate has in store for them, only time will tell…


End file.
